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What we know − and don't know − about the Evansville house explosion

Mark Wilson
Evansville Courier & Press

EVANSVILLE − Investigators are still sifting through the rubble left behind by a Wednesday house explosion in Evansville, and it's still early in a probe that likely will take weeks to unfold.

Here's a quick breakdown of what is known − and not known − about the explosion right now.

What was the cause of the Evansville explosion?

The Evansville Fire Department reported at a 2p.m. news conference Thursday the explosion was determined accidental but just three hours later Fire Chief Mike Connelly retracted that statement at another news conference.

"Cause is undetermined. I have to retract the accidental comment," he said. "So it's still a cause undetermined explosion."

The investigation is now state fire marshal and state-led.

LIVE UPDATES:No additional victims from Weinbach explosion

How many people were killed or injured?

Three people died, according to the Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office. They are Charles Hite, 43, Martina Hite, 37, who died at area hospitals, and Jessica Teague, 29, who died at her home, 1012 N. Weinbach Ave.

Another injured person was taken to a hospital, Connelly said.

More:Family of couple killed in Evansville house explosion said sudden loss 'is hitting hard'

No additional victims have been found, Connelly said. Firefighters shored up unstable structures so they could safely finish the search Thursday.

David Price, left, and his next-door neighbor Patty Hite watch as firefighters walk through the debris after a house explosion at 1010 N. Weinbach Ave., in Evansville, Ind., Wednesday night, Aug. 10, 2022. Price mentioned he started smelling gas in the air over a month ago.

What roads are shut down in Evansville?

North Weinbach, north of the 800 block, will now be shut down through the weekend, Connelly said Friday. Weinbach from Oak Hill Road to Columbia Street was closed. However, Oak Hill Road had reopened.

Bellaire Ave from Weinbach to Hercules remains closed. Anyone who lives in the area is being let in, but outside traffic is not, according to Evansville police at the scene.

It is likely that Weinbach could be reopened by Friday, according to the fire chief.

The Evansville Police Department is asking anybody who needs to get to ABK Tracking to take Boeke Avenue to Vogel Road rather than use Weinbach.

More:Evansville house explosion on Weinbach Avenue kills 3, shakes neighborhood

Are there Evansville power outages?

Six power outages remained in the immediate vicinity of the explosion as of 11:15 p.m., according to CenterPoint's outage maps Thursday. After the explosion on Wednesday there had been up to 1,000 without power.

Where was the house explosion in Evansville, Indiana?

The explosion was reported at 12:58 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, in Evansville.

A photo Mayor Lloyd Winnecke posted to social media showed the addresses of the homes involved. 1010 N. Weinbach Ave. appeared to be completely destroyed and gone, while 1008 and 1012 N. Weinbach suffered heavy damage. Two of the homes are rentals, according to the Vanderburgh County Assessor's website. The third is owned.

How bad was the damage to Evansville homes?

Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said, in total, 39 houses were damaged by the Wednesday afternoon explosion. As of 6 p.m. Wednesday, at least 11 of those homes are "uninhabitable," Connelly said.

WATCH:Ring Cam footage from across the street of the Evansville house explosion

The Knight Township Trustee's office also was damaged. Debris is scattered over a large area of the neighborhood. Homes and buildings have been marked with tags, red for do not enter, yellow allowing entrance with an escort and green for safe to re-enter.

An overhead photo of damage from a house explosion in the 1000 block of North Weinbach Avenue.

Where to go for help

Anyone displaced by the explosion can call the Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS for assistance.

Residents and property owners can report damage and ask questions by calling the Evansville-Vanderburgh Building Commission at (812) 436-7818.