A couple in Northern Kentucky are lucky to be alive after a sudden explosion flattened their house February 22nd. Keith and Barbara Farley were both at home around 11 p.m. when their house exploded, collapsing around them and superficially damaging the neighbors’ homes. Both Keith and Barbara were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, along with a neighbor, who required anxiety treatment.
Neighbor Andrew Koenig told WCPO that Farley had spent a lot of time repairing the roof and renovating the interior of the house prior to the explosion, and that work may have contributed to Farley’s survival. In an interview, Farley agreed with his neighbor. He had been in the shower during the explosion, and believes the heavy tiles used in the recent bathroom remodeling construction may have absorbed some of the blast. The explosion buckled neighbors’ garage doors, shattered windows, and even moved a wall across the street approximately two inches.
The explosion attracted a great deal of attention by neighbors and residents in surrounding areas, many of whom claim to have felt the ground shake several mile away from the Farleys’ house. The Campbell County Police Department took to Twitter and Facebook to reassure citizens that everyone was okay, and to request that they remain patient while waiting for more information.
Both Farleys consider themselves lucky to be alive, and are currently staying in a hotel room courtesy of the American Red Cross. The Campbell County Police Department have released a statement calling the incident an “apparent natural gas explosion.” Further investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing, but it may be months before the results are able to be released by state fire marshals.