UPDATE: Explosion victims remain in critical condition
UPDATE: The two victims have been identified as Jim and Jeanne Jasa.
A CHI St. Elizabeth Hospital spokesman says they remain in critical condition after a house exploded Monday afternoon.
We bring you more information as the details are released.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A massive explosion rocked a south Lincoln neighborhood off 77th Street and Old Cheney Road Monday afternoon, leaving neighbors in shock, and praying for victims.
"My first thought was a bomb."
"It just sounded like a huge bomb went off."
"I honestly thought a plane crashed."
The home was reduced to rubble in an apparent natural gas explosion.
The two victims inside were severely burned, suffering life threatening injuries.
"The victims apparently were a — were shot out of the home from the explosion,” neighbor Jeff Hoham said.
Hoham was one of the first on scene. His neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, administered first aid to the victims, as people emerged from their homes to see the chaos.
"[I’m] praying that they will be okay,” Jeris Oliverius, who felt and saw the explosion as she was driving home along Old Cheney said. “Obviously the scene is just unbelievable, these things just don’t happen every day."
The blast was felt as far as a mile away.
It not only leveled the home, but blew out the windows of others, rocking their foundation and spewing debris throughout the neighborhood.
"Things were off the wall, there were other damage inside,” Bill Kuehn who lives less than a block away, said. “It was a really huge explosion."
Neighbors recounted the seconds it happened: First, the sound of a bomb, and then ammunition sounding — hundreds of rounds firing off from the heat.
"It was just intense flames something I have never felt before,” Hoham said. “The heat that hit me was something I’ve never felt before."
Lincoln Fire and Rescue said there is no immediate danger to the neighborhood.
Black Hills Energy, Lincoln Electric System, the State Fire Marshal and Red Cross were among the dozens of crews on scene to help monitor and find the source of the explosion.
LFR Battalion Chief Jeremy Gegg said he’s thankful the casualties weren’t higher.
"Certainly other bystanders could have been seriously injured or killed,” he said. “There was some large debris that was thrown a long distance."
Officials say upwards of eight homes are unlivable Monday night.
The Red Cross is locating those families who need it.
