Three people died after a house explosion in southern Indiana on Wednesday, officials said.
Dozens of firefighters responded to the scene in Evansville after the explosion Wednesday afternoon in the 1000 block of North Weinbach Avenue, officials said.
So far, three deaths have been reported to the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office as a result of the explosion, Chief Deputy Coroner David Anson said in a statement. The names of the victims will be released pending family notification, he said.
The home where the explosion occurred was destroyed and 39 other buildings were “severely damaged or suffered minor damage,” Evansville Fire Chief Mike Connelly told reporters Wednesday night. Knight’s township trustee’s office is among the damaged buildings and will be closed for the foreseeable future, officials said.
A home was destroyed in an explosion in Evansville, Indiana on August 10, 2022.
Tanner Edwards
About 60 firefighters were on the scene helping, Connolly said.
A 100-foot radius around the blast could not be searched and some buildings were not safe to enter, Connolly said, noting there could be other victims.
The cause of the explosion is being clarified.
CenterPoint Energy arrived after the blast and “made the scene safe,” Connelly said. “There was no gas detected and they are restoring service now.”
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Wieneke was on the scene surveying the damage.
“A major investigation and cleanup effort is underway,” Winnecke told ABC Evansville affiliate WEHT.
An off-duty Evansville police officer reported the explosion, the mayor said.
The block where the incident occurred “will be closed for the foreseeable future,” the Evansville Police Department said.
“As more information becomes available, the relevant investigating agencies will be able to provide more information,” the department said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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