Three dead in Evansville, Indiana home explosion

Residents felt the explosion nearly one mile away

                                                           (PHOTO COURTESY OF COURIER PRESS EVANSVILLE)

Three people were killed Wednesday afternoon and at least 39 houses damaged when a home exploded in Evansville, Ind.

The house in the middle of the residential neighborhood blew up just before 1 p.m. Wednesday, sending debris flying 100 feet in every direction, Evansville Fire Chief Mike Connelly said during a press conference.

The cause of the explosion is still unclear, but the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is on scene to conduct a blast analysis. The state fire marshal was also assisting.

That investigation meant that first responders could not continue searching for other victims, Connelly said. At least one other person was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries, according to WFIE.

The three dead have not been publicly identified and a spokesperson for the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office did not immediately return a request for comment from the Daily News Thursday.

Of the 39 homes that were damaged in the blast, at least 11 are “uninhabitable,” Connelly said.

This story will be updated once more information becomes available