Lincoln, NE – Lincoln Police have confirmed 43 homes have damage following Monday’s home explosion.
Of those homes, 19 have structural damage. Damage ranges from cracks to ceilings and walls to completely destroyed. Some houses had windows exploded.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue said three of the homes are currently uninhabitable.
Investigators are on scene working to determine the cause of the home explosion.
Lincoln Fire and Rescue said two people are in the hospital and a CHI Health St. Elizabeth Hospital Spokesperson confirmed they are in critical condition after what is believed to be a natural gas explosion, though that has not yet been confirmed.
A CHI Health St. Elizabeth Hospital Spokesperson has confirmed the victims are Jim and Jeanne Jasa.
Firefighters were initially dispatched to 5601 S. 78th Street at about 4:30 p.m.
LFR said firefighters found one house completely destroyed upon arriving, with debris thrown throughout the neighborhood. They said 7-8 houses were damaged by the incident, and debris was launched as far as 200 feet from the house.
“It just sounded like a bomb went off and the house shook and everything. Then I look down the street and there was just black smoke and I saw all the bricks in that house was gone just obliterated,” neighbor Bill Kuehn said.
LFR said on top of the flames and debris, ammunition inside the home started exploding after crews arrived.
Jeff Hoham lives just a few doors down from the now demolished home.
He had just returned from his coaching job at Lincoln East.
When he heard what he described as the sound of a plane crash, he told his son to grab his shoes and they both ran outside when they were met by an off-duty fireman who also lives in the area.
When they arrived on scene, Hoham said they weren’t prepared for what they saw.
“I’ve not seen people burned like that ever, so it was an image that I don’t know if I can explain,” Hoham said. “But I knew they were hurt and there was intense fire, and I just kept think is there anyone else and you don’t think you just react.”
Authorities said several agencies, including the State Fire Marshal’s office and a gas company, stayed on scene investigating until it became too dark.
They urged people to stay behind any barricades to stay safe and let authorities do their jobs.
LFR said they are working to mitigate the situation, but that several streets in the area will be closed for quite some time.
Authorities said several residents will need to be relocated because of the incident.
LFR had to suspend their investigation overnight due to darkness, and so far authorities have not officially declared the cause of the explosion.
Chief Fire Inspector Bill Moody said that they are going to look at all digging permits for the area over the last six months in an effort to determine the cause.
Dena Hornby lives next door to where the explosion happened. She said she had no idea how bad it was until she got out of her home. “I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was in awe,” she said.
Lori Feldman lives across the street from the home. She said she watched two of her neighbors leave in an ambulance, “My heart is going out to them and their family. They are such wonderful people.”