Checking your furnace is key to avoiding explosion

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The explosion that killed two people in Indianapolis over the weekend was so powerful that people thought it was an earthquake.

The power of the blast destroyed or damaged dozens of homes.

One homeowner says he thinks a faulty gas furnace was to blame, although there has been no official ruling on a cause.

Police did say the gas meter tested showed unusually high amounts of gas use.

So, how do you know your furnace is safe to turn on this winter? "You just want to make sure the piping., he valves, everything like that they are not leaking," said Chris Bryant, Senior Technician, McAfee Heating and Air.

Bryant uses a gas sniffer to make sure the furnace in his home works properly. "If I get a gas leak. It will give me an alarm." He also makes sure his furnace is igniting properly because if its not, it could mean trouble.

Bryant recommends that you have your furnace cleaned and inspected every year. "A build up of natural gas. Not igniting properly. anything that could allow natural gas to build up inside the system. then it ignites all at once and the results aren't so good."

He stresses furnace maintenance is not a job for just anyone. He says inexperience in working with natural gas can lead to tragedy.

In fact, a related incident happened in Fairborn just last year. A house exploded after a man struck an underground gas line. One person was killed and multiple others injured.

Bryant says you can never be cautious enough when it comes to your family. A routine annual inspection of your furnace is around $100.

Vectren says if you do smell gas, get out of the area immediately.

Don't use a cell phone, open windows or turn on or off any lights. A spark could be generated.

Call 911 and Vectren from a safe location and alert your neighbors if you can.