Richmond, Indiana explosion
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 | |
| Date | April 6, 1968 |
|---|---|
| Time | 1:47 PM EST |
| Location | Downtown Richmond, Indiana, U.S. |
| Casualties | |
| 41 killed | |
| 150+ injured | |
The Richmond, Indiana, explosion was a double explosion in the United States in 1968. It occurred at 1:47 PM EST on April 6, in downtown Richmond, Indiana.[1] The explosions killed 41 people and injured more than 150. The primary explosion was due to natural gas leaking from one or more faulty transmission lines under the Marting Arms sporting goods store,[2] located on the southeast corner of the intersection of 6th and Main (US 40) streets. A secondary explosion was caused by gunpowder stored inside the building.[3]
The explosion was caused by a natural gas leak from a cast iron gas main which exploded outside Marting Arms. The pipe, which had become perforated as a result of corrosion, belonged to the Richmond Gas Corporation.[4] The gas itself was ignited by a gunshot in the firing range.[5] It was uncertain what precisely had ignited the gunpowder, owing to the damage caused by the explosion and fire.
Gas had been smelled leaking in the area around Marting Arms for days before the explosion, and local stores would open doors to allow the fumes to ventilate out and leave buildings. A report by the U.S. Bureau of Mines found that, around this time, the Richmond Gas Corporation had found fifty-five gas leaks in its pipes, seven of which were "exceptionally large...creating hazardous conditions." The gas company had found a smaller leak between Marting Arms and a neighboring store. The perforated pipe was removed by Richmond Gas workers during the post-explosion cleanup, but the company refused to allow bureau investigators to examine it. The gas company eventually provided the pipe for examination upon the order of the Indiana Public Service Commission. Safety checks after the explosion found twenty gas leaks in the city over the next two months, although some of these may have been caused by the explosion.[4]
Lawsuits and fate of Richmond Gas Corporation
397 civil lawsuits were filed against Richmond Gas Corporation, the City of Richmond, and Marting Arms pursuant to the explosion, but only one – on behalf of decedent Blaine Scott Reeves – made it to trial. The gas company was found solely liable by a jury in Connersville, Indiana, where the case had been tried after the company requested a change of venue. Richmond Gas appealed the verdict based on alleged trial errors and on its claim that the award of $250,000 was excessive. On October 1, 1973, the First District Court of Appeals of Indiana ruled against the gas company and upheld the verdict.[6] The corporation settled the remaining lawsuits for a reported $5 to $10 million.
In 1990 Richmond Gas Corporation was acquired by Indiana Energy, Inc. (which merged into Vectren in 2000, which merged into CenterPoint Energy in 2019).
