Two individuals in their 90s perished and a third was injured when a fire and explosion destroyed a residence in west-central Indiana, according to authorities.
Saturday morning, according to Crawfordsville Fire Chief Scott Busenbark, personnel responded to a house fire and discovered one individual on the front lawn. WXIN-TV reported that the injured individual was transported to an Indianapolis hospital by helicopter in stable condition.
According to Busenbark, first responders who entered the home after the fire was extinguished discovered two bodies. The coroner for Montgomery County identified the deceased as Richard Chastain, 90, and Marilyn Fox, 91.
Saturday at 8:30 a.m., residents reportedly told the fire department that they heard a detonation, according to WISH-TV. The State Fire Marshal is conducting an inquiry.
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Chastain: A Respected Leader with an Everlasting Legacy
Martin Umbarger, a retired Indiana National Guard major general, told WISH-TV that Chastain was a retired Indiana National Guard general and “the kind of man you expected to live forever.”
Saturday was to be Chastain’s 90th birthday celebration at a local community facility, the station reported. According to Busenbark, the fatalities have rattled Crawfordsville, a city of approximately 16,000 people located approximately 70 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of Indianapolis.
“When something like this occurs, the entire community is affected,” he explained.
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Source: ABC News
