why was the explosion all dark and sooty? Gas doesn't explode like that. Gas burns blue/clear/orange. Not billowing black smoke like this was.

Okay... interesting. Maybe an oil tank was in the building, too? Or something else caused the explosion - like something that would release those huge billows of black smoke so dark and thick we could not see the other well lit houses behind it.

I think these explosions are a result of the earth itself shifting and expanding/contracting in preparation for some sort of seismic activity and from the looks of it, the real thing, when it finally happens, is going to be huge!!