Los Angeles (CNN) -- Authorities in Santa Monica, California, were investigating a Thursday explosion at a synagogue as a possible hate crime, fire department spokesman Judah Mitchell said.
A television news helicopter showed damage to the roof of a residence adjacent to the Jewish house of worship. The roof had a hole large enough for a man to crawl through it, with an unidentified object in the hole.
Police have evacuated a four-block area around the synagogue.
Authorities could not confirm the explosion was from a pipe bomb, but a bomb squad was on the scene, Mitchell said.
No injuries were reported, Mitchell said.
A four-block area is closed off while authorities investigatethe possibility of a hate crime after a pipe bomb explosion was reported near a Jewish synagogue at 17th and Broadway in Santa Monica.
The device exploded at about 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to L.A. Now. There were no reports of injuries or damage. FBI, LAPD bomb squad and Santa Monica police were all on the scene.
The explosion was reported to have occurred near the parking lot just north of Chabad House of Santa Monica, which is located at 1428 17th Street.