House Explodes in Knoxville...Photos (56K Beware)

[Guest SUNTZU]

I figure most of you have heard about this, but I just received some aerial photos that I thought you all might like to see. First, link to the story.

Body recovered from home that exploded; two others injured

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A million-dollar home in West Knox County is destroyed and one person is dead, after an explosion early Wednesday morning, likely casued by natural gas. Following the blast, much of the home on Grey Pointe Drive in the Whittington Creek subdivision caved into the basement.

Nick Krzeski, 18, lived in the basement. He died in the explosion. His parents, Steve and Sue Krzeski, were blown out of the house and found in the yard. Steve is in serious condition and Sue is stable at UT Medical Center.

The force of the blast drew neighbors from several sub-sections of the Whittington Creek development, first to help, then to watch, and then to watch and hope, eventually getting the answer they least wanted to hear.

"This is where he's at, and if he comes out alive, then I'm right here, where he's going to be," said Nick Krzeski's girlfriend, Jasmine Khan.

More at link...

Photos:

Damn.

[tyguy]

Have friends within 100 yds of this house. My wife was over there today and noticed their front door was difficult to open and they still have pictures on the wall that were knocked askew. Crazy stuff!

[Magiccarpetrides]

I live about a mile or so away and it shook my house.

[Guest sigmaguy]

Holy crap.

[strickj]

All hunter teams, this is Badger one. Paint the target

[poak]

Holy ^@ !!!!!!

Those aerial photos look so surreal with the blast site being nestled between all those well manicured lawns...

[redneck]

Well that would be why I do not use any gas heat or appliances .

[Guest bkelm18]

Well that would be why I do not use any gas heat or appliances .

You don't use appliances? Damn that's hardcore.

[Guest m&pc9]

Well that would be why I do not use any gas heat or appliances .

Every thing in my house is gas. Water heater, dryer,stove,gas logs,and furnace.

I do heat and air for a living and this is a major fear. When I do gas I always double check and triple check myself. I would hate to hurt or kill someone because I had my head in my ass.

[Guest SUNTZU]

You sell propane and propane accessories?

[Guest m&pc9]

I am not hank hill.

[Guest SUNTZU]

You need to sig that.

[56FordGuy]

Wow. Heard about this on the radio today. Any news on the son?

[Garufa]

I actually heard the explosion from 4.5 miles away. For some reason I was awake when it happened.

The sad thing is....some "neighbor" who lives on the other side of that house posted on the KNS website they smelled gas all afternoon. Apparently didn't call anyone. What a douche.

[VERO1]

They are about 99% sure that the body they found in the rubble is the son. But the M.E. still hadn't made a definite I.D.

[Mike.357]

the found a body, assume it is the son. Apparently he was fairly well blowed up.

Hell of a thing to happen this time of year.

+1 on douchbag who smelled gas but did nothing. I tell you if you smell gas get out, do not turn on lights, just get out and call for help from outside the house.

[titan14]

You sell propane and propane accessories?

LMAO!!!!!!!!!

[Guest m&pc9]

Don't worry the fire investigator said it was an accident.

Investigator: Explosion that leveled West Knox County house accidental Knoxville News Sentinel

Investigator: Explosion that leveled West Knox County house accidental

KNOXVILLE - An explosion that leveled a million-dollar home in West Knox County, killing one and injuring two, was accidental, an investigator said today.

The cause of the explosion at 3:13 a.m. Wednesday at 9140 Grey Pointe Drive in the Whittington Creek subdivision is still undetermined, Knox County Sheriff's Office Fire Investigator Mike Dalton said during a morning press conference.

There also is not a positive identification on the remains found in the rubble, Dalton said.

The identification may be made later today through dental records, he said.

Investigators are not sure when they'll be able to determine what caused the explosion that ejected homeowners Sue and Stephen Krzeski from their second-floor bedroom and into their backyard amid a sea of burning debris, Dalton said.

The Krzeskis' son, Nicholas, 18, was asleep in the basement of the home at the time of the explosion.

Steve Stephenson, who lives next door to the Krzeskis and often socialized with them, said Stephen Krzeski had told him about concerns of leaking natural gas in the fireplace in the second-story bedroom.

The fireplace was serviced by an unidentified company this week, Steven Stephenson said.

Dalton declined to address the reports that the fireplace had been serviced prior to the explosion and fire.

Investigators have interviewed the Krzeskis at the hospital, he said.

The Krzeskis have been listed in stable condition at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, where they were taken with numerous injuries.

Stephen Krzeski suffered nine broken ribs, and his wife a broken pelvis and vertebra, according to Sue Stephenson.

The previous owner of the home, Elizabeth Wright, said she didn't experience any gas problems during the three years she owned the home. The Krzeskis bought the home in September 2008.

"I didn't have any issues," Wright said Thursday. "I never had to have a repairman out there."

The blast also displaced families in houses on both sides of the exploded home.

Steve Stephenson said his home sustained extensive damage from shattered windows and cracks in walls, ceilings and floors. The blast felt as if it lifted the home from its foundation, he said.

He, his wife and their 13-year-old daughter will be staying in their adult daughter's condominium while she's out of town. In the meantime, workers have boarded up the house's broken windows.

"I've got to get a structural engineer over to inspect it," Steve Stephenson said. "They'll be able to tell me if it's damaged beyond repair."

On the other side of the Krzeski house lives Amir Hussaini. He, his wife and their two daughters are staying in a motel for now. Hussaini said he also is awaiting the verdict of an engineer to determine if his house can be repaired. The Hussaini home appeared to sustain more visible damage than the Stephenson house.

[Garufa]

I wonder if the boy was striking up a doobie in the basement and blew the place up.

[tntnixon]

I'm supprised they didn't report how many rounds of ammunition they had "stockpiled". That seems to be how they end every news story these days.

This just in : Mayor Bloomberg declares the cause of the explosion is because of the lax Tennessee gun show laws. Film at 11:00.

[I_Like_Pie]

Word of advise - when your wife thinks she left the curlers plugged in - you better turn around and check asap.

YOU MIGHT ACCIDENTLY TEH WHOLE HOUSE!!!!!

[Mike.357]

I wonder if the boy was striking up a doobie in the basement and blew the place up.

or flipped a light switch to try and see where the leak may have been coming from.

[bubbiesdad]

I talked with someone who lived about 6 houses away tonight, he was on scene about 3 to 4 minutes after the explosion. He said the devastation was unbelievable. Seems strange that that much gas didn't render them unconscious.

[Guest (BH)]

Yeah that's really crazy. A guy I was once very good friends with passed away in a house less than a fifty yards away from there.

What an unlucky street.

Very sad.

[Jasongar8]

My thoughts are with the family. RIP.