Jeffersonville home explosion results in one death, multiple injuries

A Jeffersonville home explosion early Sunday morning in southern Indiana has dominated the news in that part of the country for more than 24 hours. (Jeffersonville is just across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.)

One person was killed and at least three others injured in the Jeffersonville home explosion. Louisville’s WLKY-TV news reported that police said there were two people in the home at the time of the explosion: One person died and the other, a female, was hospitalized in critical condition.

In addition, an 11-year-old girl who lives nearby was hospitalized after being injured when her ceiling caved in. She has since been released. Family members told fire officials the another victim was treated and released from the hospital by Sunday afternoon.

At least a dozen homes in the neighborhood were damaged (some reports put the number as high as 20). A doorbell camera about a mile away captured the 5 a.m. explosion (link).

Here is the latest information on the Jeffersonville home explosion, culled from various news sources:

A Jeffersonville home explosion early Sunday morning in southern Indiana resulted in the death of one person, as well as multiple injuries. Jeffersonville is just across the river from Louisville, Kentucky.

Jeffersonville home explosion:
Investigation continues

According to a report in the Louisville Courier-Journal, the blast occurred in the 900 block of Assembly Road in the Capitol Hills neighborhood, and the home was leveled, a spokesperson for the Jeffersonville Fire Department said. The 5 a.m. explosion awoke residents up to 5 miles away in southern Indiana, and about 20 homes in the neighborhood were affected. The explosion shattered the windows of homes in the neighborhood and sent debris flying onto lawns, cars, and the roofs of nearby homes.

Neighbor William Short, who lives across the street from the explosion, said he was awakened by a boom and got out of bed to look. He said a second boom occurred, knocking out his windows, blowing off his front door, and cracking his ceilings.

Several homes in Capitol Hills already have been condemned by the city’s building commissioner, the Courier-Journal reported.

Jeffersonville home explosion:
Investigation continues

Officials have not declared a cause, although the Jeffersonville Fire Department tweeted that it had ruled out a meth-lab explosion. The tweet also said investigators were awaiting the results of an inquiry by the local natural gas provider, Vectren.

Vectren employees were at the scene of the explosion Sunday, as were Jeffersonville city police and Indiana State Police.

Natalie Hedde, a Vectren spokesperson, said the company turned off the gas supply to 14 homes in the area, 12 of which were evacuated as a precaution.

Jeffersonville home explosion:
Reactions from neighbors

Many of the people living nearby described their neighborhood as “tight-knit,” and said many residents have known each other their entire lives. Several said the man who died in the explosion showed the kindness people could find in their community, mowing lawns and taking people to appointments out of the goodness of his heart

No one expects to be awakened by an explosion next door, and the reaction from residents was understandably one of shock.

“I thought it was right here in front of my house,” Joseph Gomez said. “I looked outside and saw fireballs in the sky.”

Gomez said he has lived in the neighborhood his entire life, and was shocked to find his neighbor’s house completely destroyed. “You don’t know if it’s shooting or exploding, you don’t know what to think,” Gomez said. “Other than that, we went down that way and saw the house and there was nothing there, the house was gone.”

Another neighbor, who was unidentified, said, “We jumped up right out of the bed, both of us screaming and hollering, checking on everything.”

And then there was this from another neighbor: “It was the worst sound I have ever heard in my life, it really was.”

Jeffersonville home explosion:
No identities released

Officials have not released the names of the deceased or the injured, but at least two victims were taken to University of Louisville Hospital. One was released Sunday evening, and the Jeffersonville Fire Department said in a tweet that night that the other was still in critical condition.

Parts of the neighborhood on Assembly Road are expected to be closed for the next several days as crews continue to clean up and investigate. The Red Cross has set up a relief station at nearby First Christian Church to help those displaced.