At least two people are dead after a late-night explosion in an Indianapolis neighborhood.
Investigators are trying to puzzle out what caused an explosion and fire that killed two people and tore through a residential area of Indianapolis, displacing scores of residents, authorities said today.
"There's a significant number of homes that have sustained damage, including two that have been completely destroyed. No cause has been ruled out," said Marc Lotter, a spokesman for Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.
"The investigation is ongoing," he said. He added that seven people had been injured in the explosion, which left a large debris field and damaged at least 18 houses in addition to the two that were destroyed.
"It looks like a war zone here right now," Hensley said.
Fire officials confirmed two fatalities early Sunday morning, Hensley said. Police have so far been unable to identify them, a spokesman said this afternoon.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire, according to a fire department statement.
Officials evacuated about 200 people to a nearby elementary school, where the Red Cross sheltered about 20 of them for the night. Others spent the night at friends' homes or with family, and officials planned to take the rest to the Southport Presbyterian Church.
As of late Sunday morning, approximately 60 cases of water and Gatorade were outside the school and a police spokesman said donations are pouring in, including toiletries, doughnuts and pizza.
Firefighters brought the fire under control by 12:30 a.m. Sunday but were still putting out hotspots afterward, Hensley said.The blast originated near 8415 Fieldfare Way, according to the fire department release.
From his bedroom a block away, 47-year-old software engineer Chris Patterson felt the walls of his home shake. The force of the explosion shattered a glass sliding door in his home, he said.
"It felt like something had hit our house,” Patterson said.
Patterson and his wife stepped outside, where they found other neighbors in the street and an orange glow in the distance.
Another neighbor who lives in the newer subdivision where the blast happened said his windows were blown out.
The subdivision where the blast occurred was built in 2001, said resident Steve Belt. Belt said he was in bed with his wife when the explosion nearly knocked them out of bed, he said.
Belt was later escorted by police back inside his home for medication his wife needs because of a recent surgery.
As fire officials shut off gas to the neighborhood, police came by to evacuate residents to the elementary school staging area, where officials had established a triage area. There, after checking in with authorities, stunned neighbors sat on bleachers and waited for more information.
"You had a bunch of sleepy kids and nervous-looking parents," Patterson said.
Patterson and his wife ultimately spent the night at his mother's home.
As search and investigation efforts continue today, the Indianapolis Department of Code Enforcement will assess the safety of homes affected by the explosion.
asege@tribune.com
Twitter: @AdamSege
mmanchir@tribune.com
Reuters contributed to this report.
'No cause has been ruled out' after deadly Indianapolis blast
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'No cause has been ruled out' after deadly Indianapolis blast
