Copper thieves suspected of triggering Indy house explosion - 14 News, WFIE, Evansville, Henderson, Owensboro

Copper thieves suspected of triggering Indy house explosion

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -

Thieves stealing copper pipes might have caused a natural gas explosion that destroyed an Indianapolis house.

Fire officials say the explosion happened about 12:30 a.m. Thursday and tossed debris as far as two blocks away in the neighborhood just west of the city's downtown. The house was vacant and was being renovated following a fire during the summer.

The fire department reported no injuries and briefly evacuated nearby homes until utility workers could shut off the gas.

The explosion blew off the home's roof and left only a couple walls standing. Contractor Cherie Klawun says that metal thieves had broken into the house three times and that investigators believe the gas and water lines were cut to steel copper piping.

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