Gas leak causes Carmel High School explosion; photos show damage

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) – Photos from the Carmel High School explosion show the “magnitude of the incident,” Carmel Fire Department said Thursday.

The explosion occurred about 6:10 p.m. Wednesday on the second floor of the building housing the gymnasium and swimming pool. Indiana Department of Homeland Security said a gas leak that occurred during routine maintenance on two boilers led to the explosion.

Two people, a Carmel Clay Schools employee and a contractor, had been working on a heater and were relighting it when the explosion occurred on the northwest corner of the high school. Both were conscious when they were taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis. The fire department tweeted that one received severe burns, although it was not certain which person received those injuries and the people have not been identified.

“Due to patient privacy we cannot release any information on the two patients transported to the ER with burns,” said a Facebook post from the Carmel Fire Department.

The post also said investigators have determined there was no issue with the boilers at the school, although work was being performed near them. The work had been scheduled during winter break.

Carmel firefighter Tim Griffin, the department spokesman, said Wednesday night that the blast caused “fairly significant damage” to a wall and the roof. Engineering crews from the city government were expected to visit the site Thursday to survey the damage and access the building’s stability.

Indiana Department of Homeland Security issued this statement Thursday afternoon:

“IDHS assisted Carmel Fire Department today. At this point, it appears there was no boiler malfunction. Two boilers were impacted. Workers were doing routine service and a natural gas leak occurred, leading to an explosion during the reigniting process.”

A fourth-grade basketball team with the Carmel Dads Club, which was practicing at the school, were among 100 people in the building when the explosion occurred, but no one but the two people working on the heater were physically injured in the blast.

Carmel Athletics Director Jim Inskeep issued this statement Thursday afternoon on Twitter:

“We have received many inquiries regarding personal items left behind from last night. When we gain access to locker rooms and other areas, we will communicate to head coaches who will coordinate a time to pick up. CDC families with items can contact jbeery@carmeldadsclub.org.”

A boys basketball game set for Thursday afternoon against Anderson and a girls basketball game set for Thursday night against Kokomo, set to be played in the gymnasium, were indefinitely postponed.