Odin, IL – Odin Fire Chief Greg Smith says insurance investigators and Ameren have pinpointed the cause of an explosion that leveled the home of Earl and Doris Wood on Laury Street in Odin last month.
Smith reports the problem was a hole in the natural gas line under the center portion of the Wood home. Earl Wood has told investigators the last thing he remembers before waking up in a St. Louis hospital was turning on the light switch in the bathroom. That apparently was the ignition source of the natural gas that had been gathering in the home. Wood indicated he had not smelled any odor of gas.
Earl Wood has been released from the hospital, but is still recovering from an arm injury. His wife Doris was killed in the explosion. She was found under the wreckage of the home.
Smith says Earl Wood is very grateful for all the assistance he has been offered since the explosion and can’t thank people enough. The chief reports one of Wood’s biggest concerns was getting furniture he was reupholstering for others that were stored in his garage returned to them. Unfortunately due to his hand injury, he won’t be able to complete the work.