NEW ALBANY, IN (WAVE) – Six people are being treated a three hospitals after a house explosion on the east side of New Albany. The explosion and resulting fire was reported around 4 p.m. at Woodrow Avenue and Market Street while a pipeline crews was working on natural gas lines in the street.
According to Mayor Doug England, a crew from Miller Pipeline was doing work for Vectren in front of the home at the time of the explosion. Vectren Corporate Communications Director, Chase Kelley, said workers was replacing older gas lines with new plastic lines in front of the home.
Chief Matthew Juliot of the New Albany Fire Department said six people, four adults and two children, were hurt in the explosion. The neighbor tells us all six people were inside the home at the time of the blast and debris was sent 75 feet into the air.
Marco Guerrero said he was one of the people inside the home when it exploded. He was not injured.
"We came here at about 3:30, something like that. I smelled a lot of gas. I said this is not right. Something is wrong. We came outside the door to try to see what's going on. I didn't see nothing was wrong," He said.
Guerrero said he then went back inside the home, to his room.
'When I talked to my sister, I heard something explode, like a violent. The first thing I do, like, it take my nephew and put him in my arms and try to go outside."
Five of the injured were taken to Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany. One of those victims was transferred to University Hospital in Louisville. The sixth person was taken to Clark Memorial in Jeffersonville.
Guerrero said his sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew were hurt. Along with his cousin
"His face, everything, his hair, everything is really bad," Said Guerrero.
Guerrero said he expects his family to be okay. Though the house is not.
"Really, we don't have nothing right now. we lost everything," Said Guerrero.
During a phone interview on WAVE 3 News at 5:30, Juliot said although there was construction work taking place in the immediate area, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation and it has not been determined that the pipeline construction work and the explosion are related.
According to Juliot, said the fire is under control, but gas company crews were trying to get a gas leak contained in the street.
The extent of the injuries is unknown.
Copyright 2011 WAVE News. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WAVE, a Raycom Media Station. 