On Saturday night around 11 p.m., residents of the Richmond Hill subdivision on Indianapolis' southeast side were shocked by a massive explosion on Fieldfare Way that set several homes ablaze, killing two people, and leaving five homes completely destroyed and 26 others severely damaged. Some 200 people have been evacuated from the area, and officials are still trying to determine what caused the enormous, deadly blast. Aerial footage of the aftermath shows the blackened spot where two homes were leveled with the closest houses just barely still standing — three of which will likely have to be bulldozed (Watch the video below.) Residents described the explosion as a nightmare in which debris rained down on the area like snow, and windows and garage doors a block away from the epicenter were blown out. On Sunday morning, firefighters began allowing people back into some of the homes that had only minor damage. While police have not released the names of the two people who were killed, they are believed to be Jennifer Longworth, a second-grade teacher and her husband, John. Authorities are investigating natural gas lines as a probable cause of the explosion. Indiana has a long history of such accidents, including the 1963 gas blast that ripped through the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds Coliseum killing 74 people and injuring 400 others.
