House explosion in Evansville, Indiana, that killed 3, damaged nearly 40 homes ruled accidental, investigators say

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WLS) — The cause of a house explosion that killed three people in Indiana in August was released Wednesday.

The video featured is from a previous report.

The Indiana State Fire Marshal ruled the explosion accidental after investigators said they discovered a leaking gas line in the basement of the home. The line was found uncapped with the valve in the open position, fire officials said.

The explosion happened in the 1000 block of N. Weinbach Avenue around 1 p.m. on August 10 in Evansville, Indiana, and damaged a total of 39 houses, according to fire officials. At least 11 of the 39 homes damaged were deemed “uninhabitable,” Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said following the explosion.

The incident also injured a fourth person.

“Debris is strewn over a 100-foot (30-meter) radius,” including “typical construction materials” such as wooden boards, window glass and insulation, Connelly said.

Aerial video posted on social media shows damage in a residential neighborhood with police and fire vehicles on the scene in Evansville, on the Kentucky border.

Meter data taken after the incident showed a sharp increase in gas usage beginning two days before the blast, according to the fire marshal. They also said there was no additional evidence found to determine how the valve was opened, however, they did add that there is no indication of foul play.

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Investigators also said they could not determine the source of the ignition within the home, but did acknowledge that electrical devices and other appliances could have served as an ignition source.

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A pressure test of the gas line between the main and meter found that it was in “proper working order” following the blast. An additional test also found the odorant additive Mercaptan was present in the natural gas line leading to the home, which investigators said could be why the occupants were unaware of the gas accumulating in the home.

A married couple who lived at the center of the explosion, 43-year-old Charles Hite and 37-year-old Martina Hite, both died of blunt force trauma to their chests, and 29-year-old neighbor Jessica Teague died of compression asphyxia, the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office said.

The Weinbach Ave. blast was the second house explosion in the area in just over five years. A house explosion on June 27, 2017, killed two people and injured three others.

The August explosion also brought to mind a massive blast in 2012 that destroyed or damaged more than 80 homes on Indianapolis’ south side and killed two people. A man was convicted of tampering with a natural gas line at his then-girlfriend’s home in an attempt to commit insurance fraud, with the explosion killing two next-door neighbors. That man, his half-brother and girlfriend all received long prison sentences.