OCONOMOWOC, Wis. -- An explosion destroyed a church in downtown Oconomowoc on Wednesday and left seven people injured, reported WISN-TV in Milwaukee, Wis.

Shortly before First Baptist Church blew up, a construction crew working in the area reported striking a gas line, a We Energies spokesman said. People who were in the area told WISN that they could smell natural gas before the explosion.

A firefighter told WISN that the original call was for a strong odor of gas. About one minute later, the church exploded.

A WISN reporter at the scene said flames were shooting from the roof of a house next door to the church in the city's downtown. The house is owned by the church was being rented out to a family.

The church was destroyed in the blast and the bell tower was standing on its own, WISN said.

Seven workers were knocked down and injured by the debris, according to City of Oconomowoc Public Information Officer Bob Duffy. One of the injured was taken by helicopter to a Milwaukee hospital.

Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital said it received five patients -- four men and one woman -- all with minor injuries. Two people were treated and released and two others were expected to be released by 4:30 p.m.

Two firefighters also received minor injuries, Duffy said.

A witness said that at about 1:25 p.m. CST, a blast shook her office. She said she could see smoke and flames.

WISN reported that several houses in the area have been evacuated. A daycare center on one side of the church was temporarily evacuated, but was not damaged.

The church was built nearly 100 years ago. A churchmember described the explosion as "heartbreaking."

Oconomowoc is about 35 miles west of Milwaukee.