Indiana Explosion Puzzles Authorities, No Reports Of Gas Leak Smell Before Deadly Blaze Leveled 30 Homes

Indianapolis, IN – An Indiana explosion Saturday that killed two and displaced hundreds of residents has thus far proven a mystery for officials as they work to get to the bottom of the deadly blast.

The Indiana explosion leveled blocks of homes when it occurred just after 11 pm Saturday night near South Sherman Drive and Stop 11 Road in Indianapolis. And, while two residents were killed in the blast, officials say that, considering the size and scope of the damage in Indianapolis, it is a miracle more people were not injured in the resultant blaze.

At least 27 homes were damaged in the Indiana explosion to the point they became uninhabitable, and some residents were allowed back to enter them in the early-morning hours Sunday to retrieve essential possessions with an escort.

But as investigators work to discover the cause of the blaze, with a bomb or meth lab as the cause reportedly ruled out per some sources. But Citizens Energy spokesman Dan Considine said that prior to the deadly blast, no residents recall smelling the sulfur-like odor often detected before such events.

Considine explained that sometimes, however, gas leaks go undetected:

“Most of the time when there’s a gas leak, people smell it … But not always.”

Resident Alex Pflanzer described a harrowing scene that he first thought was due to a robbery. The Indianapolis explosion blasted through the windows of his home, and he recalls:

“I didn’t know what was going on … I thought someone was breaking in the house, because the alarm was going off … I walked outside and all the houses were on fire.”

Deputy Code Enforcement Director Adam Collins said Monday that the total number of homes damaged stood at at least 80 after the Indiana explosion, with more than 31 possibly permanently destroyed and a damage toll reaching an estimated $3.6 million.