LP gas likely cause of explosion, investigators working to determine what happened
While the investigation is still underway at the site of a house explosion in the northeastern corner of Dubois County, officials with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security think a malfunction within the home’s liquid propane (LP) system was likely the cause.
“We don’t know the definitive cause,” said David Hosick, a public information officer with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
He was at the scene Tuesday morning.
“It is pretty clear by looking at the debris field and the scope and scale of the incident that it was an explosion due to the LP gas,” he added.
Hosick stated the home had an underground LP tank that was filled in December, and most of the home ran on LP (heat, stove, water heater, etc.).
The explosion occurred around 6:10 p.m. Monday evening. Responding agencies spent much of the evening working to put out fires and address any hotspots while searching for the male reported in the home when it exploded.
Due to the weather, darkness, and the unknowns regarding the stability of the remains of the structure, the search was called off with plans to bring a search and rescue team in from Brazil, Ind., on Tuesday morning.
According to Hosick, that team located the deceased male within an hour of arriving at the home Tuesday. He has been turned over to the Dubois County Coroner’s office for an autopsy and identification.
Now that the victim has been found, investigators are able to dig out the rubble to verify how the explosion occurred. They will inspect the LP system throughout the home, including the appliances, the lines running through the house, and the LP tank itself.
“The difficulty here is the scope and scale of the explosion,” Hosick said.
The home sits on a 73-acre plot of land surrounded by forestland with about 8 to 9 acres cleared, which encompasses three structures (a home and two additional outbuildings), a pond, a driveway, and a yard. Hosick said there was debris all over the property.
“You have three different buildings of this home that were destroyed and leveled,” Hosick explained. “And you’ve got everything from 10-foot pieces to two-inch pieces that are spread across that area.”
“There will have to be a very comprehensive examination and collection of that material to determine if any of it is relevant or if any of it can help us determine the cause of this explosion,” he added.
In regards to the extended impact of the explosion on neighboring homes and structures, Hosick said investigators have received unconfirmed reports from homes one to two miles away with broken windows.
“We had another report of a resident more than five miles away that heard the explosion,” Hosick said.
If anyone has damage from the explosion, they are asked to contact 211 to report the damages. According to Hosick, if federal or state funding is available to help with repairs, those reporting damage could receive assistance. It also helps quantify the size of the explosion.
Call 211 to report any damages from the explosion.
Due to the size of the explosion, Hosick expects it will take some time to determine what caused it. Referring to an incident that occurred in Evansville in which a home exploded in 2022, he stated it took investigators several months to determine what caused it.
