© Matt Kryger/APAuthorities say a loud explosion has leveled a home in Indianapolis and set four others ablaze in a neighborhood, causing several injuries.
At least two people were killed and 18 homes damaged by a thunderous explosion in a south Indianapolis neighborhood late Saturday night, NBC affiliate WTHR reported.
Dramatic images from the scene showed large fires and destroyed homes. Among the pictures were some posted to Twitter by Indianapolis Star photographer Matt Kryger.
Local fire officials confirmed to WTHR early Sunday that at least two people died in the explosion.
The blast was reported shortly after 11 p.m. near South Sherman Drive and Stop 11 Road on the south side of Indianapolis, WTHR said.
"Multiple houses engulfed in flames. Even the police officers that got to the scene before I did were not sure what happened. Kind of a surreal scene, even for police officers," Marion County Sheriff John Layton told the station.
© Matt Kryger/APAuthorities say a loud explosion has leveled a home in Indianapolis and set four others ablaze in a neighborhood, causing several injuries.
The cause of the explosion and fires wasn't immediately clear, but Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard dismissed reports of a possible plane crash as he arrived at the scene. Fire officials said separately that investigators would be checking whether natural gas was possibly involved but they had no further details on what was behind the blast that sent tall flames skyward.
Ballard said at least two homes had been destroyed by the powerful blast and that
the damage went on "for blocks on end."
Television video showed tall flames shooting overhead and spreading to numerous homes shortly after the blast reported around 11 p.m. Saturday. Hours after the flames pierced the skyline, firefighters had begun containing the flames and thick clouds of gray smoke billowed overhead.
"It was so strong that it clearly had an effect for blocks," Ballard said from the area. Beyond the burning homes
there was wider damage in the neighborhood: windows shattered in nearby homes, walls caved in and garage doors were knocked off their hinges.
Residents were told to evacuate to a nearby elementary school and people could be seen shivering in white blankets handed out to them as they moved off.
© @indystar pic.twitter.com/UK389McaIFD works to control the fires from the the multiple home explosions on the southside of Indy.
Ballard said investigators will have to see what they find in coming days.
"We're going to need some comforting in the next few days," he said.
Earlier, Capt. Rita Burris with the Indianapolis Fire Department told The Associated Press that the scene looked like something out of a war zone. "It's really messy," she said soon after it began.
I live about 40 miles (approx.) from the area of the explosion so it's all that the local stations are talking about. The first calls to 911 and the early news coverage all reported an apparent plane crash. This is the forst overhead video of the area I've been able to find.
[Link]
There were also several reports about 6 p.m. from about 50 miles Northwest of the impacted area of a loud explosion.
One other possible point of interest. There was a 4.2 earthquake overnight in Kentucky. I have no idea if the two are connected, but being in the same general area it's a possibility.