PRINCETON, Ind. (AP) — A house explosion in southwestern Indiana that injured three people has been traced to a heater that began leaking natural gas during maintenance work, authorities said.
4 people were contained in the two-story home when it was heavily damaged by Tuesday’s explosion in town of Princeton, leaving two people hospitalized with burns while a 3rd person complained of back pain, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and State Fire Marshal said.
Princeton Fire Territory Chief Nick Medler said two maintenance personnel were working on a wall-mounted gas heater on the house’s second floor when it malfunctioned, causing the gas leak.
“In messing with that furnace, we’ve come to this incident,” Medler told WFIE-TV on Wednesday.
The Department of Homeland Security and State Fire Marshal said the leaking gas was by chance ignited, causing the explosion in town about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Evansville.
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Medler said Thursday that investigators couldn’t determine what ignited the gas. He said the house’s occupants were “very fortunate” because they suffered injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
Medler said the house’s 4 occupants were in a position to walk out of the damaged residence on their very own after fire crews arrived on the scene Tuesday.
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