Beverly, KS – A Beverly woman remained in critical condition Saturday from severe burns she received from a gas explosion that destroyed a house south of Beverly on Wednesday.
Connie Whelan, 57, was in the three-bedroom house at 647 N. 290th at the time of the explosion. She was flown by helicopter to Via Christi Regional Burn Center in Wichita.
Investigators with the Kansas Fire Marshal’s Office determined that natural gas leaked and filled the crawlspace of the home, leading to the explosion. Whelan was believed to be in the kitchen at the time, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Mike Weigel.
Debris from the home was blown more than 100 yards in all directions as a result of the explosion, leaving nothing standing but a flagpole.