Demolitions have been ordered for more than two dozen homes in a blast-ravaged Indianapolis neighborhood where a house explosion that killed two people is being investigated as a homicide case, officials said yesterday. The 29 homes slated for razing amount to nearly a quarter of the 125 houses in the subdivision where the Nov. 10 explosion destroyed five homes and damaged dozens more, leaving some on the brink of collapse. No arrests have been made in the blast, which investigators believe was intentionally set and caused by natural gas.
The Marion County prosecutor said search warrants are being executed and interviews are being conducted. "As we learn information and learn the identities of individuals who might or might not have information, we're pursuing every lead along that line," he said. Owners of 17 of the 29 homes under demolition orders have until Dec. 20 to consult with an engineer to determine if their home can be saved. Four other homes, including two that were leveled in the blast, are being maintained for now as part of the crime scene. They include the home where investigators believe the explosion occurred and the house next door, where the couple killed in the blast, John and Jennifer Longworth, had lived. (More Indiana stories.)