Deadly Explosion Puzzles Officials

While the gossip news stream blew up this weekend when E! broke the story that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have ended their almost two year relationship, Indianapolis was dealing with an explosion of its own.

Saturday night, a massive explosion leveled two houses in a southern Indianapolis neighborhood, killing two people, injuring seven others and leaving entire city blocks in disrepair. Firefighters evacuated 200 people living in the Richmond Hills neighborhood; of the 80 homes that were damaged in the explosion and the accompanying fire, 30 will have to be heavily renovated or demolished.

Officials have announced where the blast originated, but investigators remain puzzled as to what triggered the explosion.

Representative Andre Carson insists that a car bomb and meth lab explosion have been ruled out; however, Indianapolis Public Safety Director, Troy Riggs, states that officials are considering all possibilities and are waiting for forensics to help guide their investigation.

While residents wait to hear what exactly devastated their neighborhood, officials have solved one mystery surrounding the explosion: this morning, Indianapolis police confirmed the two deceased, Jennifer L. Longworth and John D. Longworth. Although, the coroner has yet to release an official report.

Like several East Coasters devastated by Hurricane Sandy, some Indianapolis residents will never enter their homes again. While most of the country has returned to business-as-usual post super-storm Sandy, New Jersey and New York residents are still cleaning up debris left by the storm surge and, with no help from last week’s nor’easter, 73,000 are still without power (and have been for over two weeks).

Gradually, Americans and media outlets have moved their focus from these national, tragic current events to entertainment news, Black Friday door busters and local news. Most Americans can move on from these events; however, others are altered forever. As quickly as an explosion blasts or a storm surge crashes through a community, homes, memories and lives are lost forever. Residents can try and rebuild but never replace all they have lost.

Cover Photo Source: U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James E. Foehl via Wikimedia Commons

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://wpmaster.sjadv.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Cassandra-Bremer-Our-Space-Photo-e1402061863316.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Cassandra is a Content Manager and Developer at SJG. She earned her BA from Fontbonne University in 2011. Outside the office, she enjoys an active, healthy and well-rounded lifestyle including reading, writing, running, golfing, watching films, listening to music, taking photographs, and consuming media and social media.

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