Explosion Damages Florence Kentucky House

Authorities Believe Explosion was Caused by a Gas Leak

A quiet Sunday afternoon in Florence, Kentucky was shattered by an explosion that destroyed the first floor of a vacant house. Florence Fire Department investigators have pinpointed the cause for the explosion as a gas leak. The incident is still under investigation and the property remains cordoned off by yellow tape. A police officer will stand guard until morning.

The property is located at 7207 Dixie Highway, a mixed use area of private homes and Florence businesses. The force of the explosion shattered windows in a dental office in the adjoining lot and spewed debris across the immediate area. A door made it as far as the lot across the street where nearby security cameras captured the explosion as it occurred.

In its current condition, it's hard to imagine the building was a two story structure just this morning. The porch roof is leaning against the building's second floor; both porch and roof now rest in the front yard. The first story brick walls, blown outward by the force of the explosion, now lay partially intact in the side lawn, back yard and on the neighbor's property.

Remnants of blinds, glass and other debris cover the sidewalks and portions of the professional building parking lot next door. The dental practice there sustained multiple shattered windows and property damage; but fortunately the office was closed today.

By eight o'clock this evening, Dixie Highway was still busy with a stream of drivers trying to catch a glimpse of the area. Even as daylight faded, local residents were walking from nearby homes. Some took pictures; others expressed their awe that such a catastrophe could occur yet no one was injured.

According to a neighbor who chose not to share her name, she heard a loud noise and couldn't imagine what it was. When she heard sirens coming from all directions, she knew it had to be something big. At dusk, she stood with her husband, staring at the house, as did many neighbors who came to see the damage for themselves. Like many of those in the crowd, she expressed relief that the explosion occurred in a building she says has been vacant for approximately four years.