One person is dead and another is in critical condition after a house explosion Thursday afternoon in southwestern Kosciusko County.
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies and emergency workers responded at around 3:45 p.m. to a report of a possible house explosion in the 4600 block of south County Road 450 West in Claypool. The first arriving officer found massive destruction of the home, but could hear someone who was trapped under the rubble, according to sheriff's department spokesman 1st Sgt. Chad Hill. Firefighters from Burket, Claypool, and Warsaw responded and freed the resident from underneath about 2 feet of debris. He was immediately airlifted in critical condition to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.
Kosciusko County Coroner Anthony Ciriello was called to the scene, where a second victim was found dead, according to Hill. Ciriello said that victim was being taken to the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center in Fort Wayne to determine the cause of death, according to Hill.
The victims' names were being withheld, pending notification of family members.
Fire officials from Burket/Seward Township Fire Department said that officials with the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office have been summoned to the scene to assist with the investigation to determine the cause and nature of the explosion, according to Hill. The Kosciusko County Emergency Management, along with Animal Control were also assisting at the scene with investigating officers.
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