Cause sought for Indiana house explosion that killed 3

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Authorities are working to determine the cause of a house explosion in a southern Indiana neighborhood that killed three people and left another person hospitalized. The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office has identified the victims as a married couple, 43-year-old Charles Hite and 37-year-old Martina Hite. and a neighbor, 29-year-old Jessica Teague. The office said Thursday that the cause and manner of their deaths are pending autopsies. The explosion Wednesday afternoon in Evansville damaged 39 homes. Fire Chief Mike Connelly told reporters that crews completed a secondary search Thursday morning of buildings that had been left unstable by the explosion and no more victims were found. He says finding a cause is expected to be a “very tedious” and lengthy process.