EVANSVILLE — After months of investigation, the Indiana State Fire Marshal has ruled that a house explosion that killed three people in Evansville was accidental.
The explosion happened on August 10 in the 1000 block of North Weinbach Avenue. The explosion left debris over a 100 mile radius and also damaged 39 homes, leaving 11 uninhabitable.
"It's been almost three months since Evansville was shaken by this devastating event," Evansville Fire Department Division Chief Mike Larson said.
Investigators found a leaking gas line in the basement of the home that was determined to be the epicenter. The line was uncapped and the valve was open.
"Meter data taken after the incident showed a sharp increase in gas usage beginning two days before the blast," officials said in a news release. "However, there is no indication of foul play."
The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office said that a married couple who lived at the center of the Wednesday explosion in Evansville, 43-year-old Charles Hite and 37-year-old Martina Hite, both died of blunt force trauma to their chests.
29-year-old neighbor Jessica Teague died of compression asphyxia.
Investigators could not determine the source of ignition in the home nor how the occupants didn't know the gas was accumulating in the home. Investigators found that the gas lines were working properly.
"We believe that the answer that has been come up with [by authorities] would be the answer that anybody that would show up to that event would come up with. We're very confident in that," Larson said. "I would hope that due to all the people's lives that were affected in that area, this would help them bring it to closure. The investigation is complete, these are the findings and hopefully it will help everybody be able to move forward from this point."
The Evansville Police Department and the federal bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms also contributed to the investigation.
-
Indiana Daily Student says IU fully cuts printing of student newspaper
The student newspaper at IU Bloomington says the university has fully cut the print edition of the paper, and it will not be on the newsstands.
Bloomington wants opinions on possible College/Walnut two-way conversions
The City of Bloomington is hosting two town halls concerning possible improvements to College and Walnut on Oct. 28 and 30. Both town halls are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Bloomington City Hall.
Conflict of interest accusations surround Hogsett administration
The Indianapolis Star and Mirror Indy reported that Mayor Joe Hogsett's former chief of staff, Thomas Cook, was in a relationship with a city official on Monday.
How an ancient skull fragment was dated — and its place in Hoosier history
A small piece of a skull was found along the Whitewater River in Fayette County. How did scientists determine the age of a 4,270-year-old skull fragment?
