House Explosion captured on Ring cam

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Rob2020

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Oct 2, 2020
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I've never seen such a thoroughly and instantly destroyed house. Meth lab? That was so destructive it seemed intentional.
 
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redpoint5 said:
I've never seen such a thoroughly and instantly destroyed house. Meth lab? That was so destructive it seemed intentional.
Click to expand...
In 1957 when I was 8, one summer in East Point, GA a house around the corner and about 8 houses away did this; it was attributed to a natural gas explosion in the basement of the 2 story; the basement was finished and was a shop for the dad with tools, wood working stuff, etc.

The water heater was located in the basement. I was too young to recall or even know initially what the cause was but as an adult I've learned how gas water heater issues and thermo-couple faults can results in a bomb-like explosion.

I do remember wood splinters and other debris raining down for some time...maybe an hour or more for some of the tiny, toothpick-sizes.

No one was at home at the time, damaged houses on both sides. There was no fire, it blew itself out.
 
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Too early to make a determination....but one can speculate...Yeah the explosion on video looks so powerful.....
 
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I don't recall if I posted about this last yr or not.
So here it is again.
3 died, 39 house's damaged, 11 became uninhabitable.

apnews.com

Deadly Indiana house explosion traced to leaking gas line

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — An August house explosion that killed three people in a southern Indiana neighborhood has been ruled accidental after investigators traced the blast to a leaking natural gas line in the home's basement, officials said Wednesday.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
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That explosion was huge. While I have no experience with meth labs, I have to assume that wasn't the cause of this explosion due to it's size. I think it will come out that it was a gas explosion.

The other two houses seemed to have burned down by fires caused by the explosion, so hopefully all of those residents were able to evacuate safely before the structures were lost.
 
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looney2ns said:
I don't recall if I posted about this last yr or not.
So here it is again.
3 died, 39 house's damaged, 11 became uninhabitable.

apnews.com

Deadly Indiana house explosion traced to leaking gas line

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — An August house explosion that killed three people in a southern Indiana neighborhood has been ruled accidental after investigators traced the blast to a leaking natural gas line in the home's basement, officials said Wednesday.
apnews.com apnews.com
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Reading the article in the 2nd link, I'd say the couple that died in the source of the gas explosion were overcome by the leaking gas, even though Mercaptan odorant was found, and were either unconscious or dead at the time of the explosion.

Meter data showed a sharp increase suddenly 2 days prior to the explosion. What sounds fishy to me is "....the leaking gas line was found uncapped, with the valve in the open position.”

Suicide pact that was meant to kill only the couple and not blow up the neighborhood or ???? :wtf:
 
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TonyR said:
Reading the article in the 2nd link, I'd say the couple that died in the source of the gas explosion were overcome by the leaking gas, even though Mercaptan odorant was found, and were either unconscious or dead at the time of the explosion.

Meter data showed a sharp increase suddenly 2 days prior to the explosion. What sounds fishy to me is "....the leaking gas line was found uncapped, with the valve in the open position.”

Suicide pact that was meant to kill only the couple and not blow up the neighborhood or ???? :wtf:
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Yep, there was LOTS of conjecture as to what went down with the gas line. They couldn't prove anything other than "gas leak" as there was not much left to examine.
A house right behind the one that blew, is still waiting on insurance so they can begin repairs, as the estimate is $287,000 for repairs.
I've seen a video of the damages in that house, and to me, it screams tear it down and rebuild.
www.14news.com

Evansville family displaced after insurance denies pay for home damaged by Weinbach Ave. explosion

One whole year after the deadly Weinbach Avenue explosion, the Cardin family is still living out of a condo. Natalie Cardin said that’s because their insurance won’t pay to repair their home.
www.14news.com www.14news.com

More here: Weinbach Explosion
 
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I looked up video of other natural gas explosions, and they look similar to this. Didn't realize they were so devastating and created a fireball like that.

One article mentioned a problem with a water heater, but if one ruptured, it would probably put a hole through something but not blow a whole house up along with a fireball.



I'm going to say gas leak, although I wonder exactly how much gas is required to do that, and how it goes undetected. I've had miniscule leaks, and I can still smell them.
 
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My BBQ had a tiny leak outdoors, and I still was able to smell it. In fact, I sniffed each connector until I isolated the one that was leaking and then reapplied the pipe tape. Apparently reusing the existing tape isn't good enough. Lesson learned.

Don't know what sort of leak it would take to blow a whole house up and destroy the neighbors though.
 
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redpoint5 said:
Don't know what sort of leak it would take to blow a whole house up and destroy the neighbors though.
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Given enough time, a slow gas leak can form a VERY large volume and when ignited, produce an explosion such as we've seen in PA. I've known of several in my lifetime of that magnitude in residential houses.

Certainly I'm not a qualified CSI-type, just a regular guy who's paid attention a number of years, so here's my take on this explosion:
  • There's a gas leak, small but just enough to fill up a living space in only a few hours.
  • Occupants are asleep and are asphyxiated, are likely dead before the explosion.
  • The large volume of collected gas reaches a source of ignition.
  • Boom!
Yes, that's an over-simplification and there are still many unanswered questions, none will revive the dead but it may point to homicide or a suicide pact......or a terrible and unfortunate accident.

Hopefully, more time and close inspection and theorizing by the investigators and they will come up with some viable answers.
 
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redpoint5 said:
My BBQ had a tiny leak outdoors, and I still was able to smell it. In fact, I sniffed each connector until I isolated the one that was leaking and then reapplied the pipe tape. Apparently reusing the existing tape isn't good enough. Lesson learned.

Don't know what sort of leak it would take to blow a whole house up and destroy the neighbors though.
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This works much better than pipe wrap, and less chance of a leak on a threaded pipe.
www.homedepot.com

RectorSeal 1.75 oz. #5 Pipe Thread Sealant 25790 - The Home Depot

RectorSeal No. 5 is our most popular thread sealant. It has withstood the test of time in a variety of uses and is widely known as the "standard of the industry." RectorSeal No. 5 is a non-hardening, slow-drying thread sealant made from special inert fillers dispersed in an oleoresinous base to...
www.homedepot.com
 
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This will find small leaks your nose may miss.
www.homedepot.com

BrassCraft 2 oz. Gas Leak Detection Solution PSC1094 L - The Home Depot

BrassCraft Gas Leak Detection Solution (2 oz. bottle) is ideal for identifying leaks in natural, manufactured and LP gas connections as well as refrigerants and oxygen. Formulated to be non-corrosive to metals, and safe on polyethylene pipe and fittings. Water soluble and non-toxic.
www.homedepot.com
 
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I've run black pipe in 3 houses now. I'm experienced in fixing my mistakes. None of them would have resulted in leaving a creator where my house once stood no matter how long the leak went undetected. Houses simply aren't sealed so tightly that a small leak will cause an explosion.

My sense is it had to be a massive leak.

Here's the aftermath of a Portland natural gas explosion;
 
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We had a very slow leak in our propane range. There was a suspicious faint smell in the kitchen that was untrackable by nose. It took me a few years and a gas sniffer to locate the source.
 
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looney2ns said:
This works much better than pipe wrap, and less chance of a leak on a threaded pipe.
www.homedepot.com

RectorSeal 1.75 oz. #5 Pipe Thread Sealant 25790 - The Home Depot

RectorSeal No. 5 is our most popular thread sealant. It has withstood the test of time in a variety of uses and is widely known as the "standard of the industry." RectorSeal No. 5 is a non-hardening, slow-drying thread sealant made from special inert fillers dispersed in an oleoresinous base to...
www.homedepot.com
Click to expand...

In the UK only a qualified gas engineer is allowed to fit, alter or tamper with any gas pipework or appliance.

Most of our explosions tend to be the result of people trying to commit suicide, accidentally turning gas on or an actual gas leak from old or faulty piping.
 
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