Woman dies after house explosion

Under Fire Firemen fight the blaze that consumes a house at the 1900 block of S.W. Navajo Road. The fire was caused by a natural gas explosion on Monday morning. Lucinia Tolliver, 81, was at home when the exposion shook her house. She was in serious condition and airlifted to The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She was in stable condition as of Monday evening.

According to the Associated Press, an 81-year old Topeka woman has died after being injured in a natural gas explosion last Monday at her home.

 

The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Lucinia Tolliver died Friday.  Tolliver had been admitted to The University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan., after the explosion Monday.

Topeka Fire Department Investigator Mike Martin said a contractor excavating Monday in a nearby yard hit a natural gas service line and caused it to separate from the main line about 6 feet underground.

Martin said because the breach occurred deep underground, the gas could have entered Tolliver’s home via such routes as a pipe, sewer line or crack in the dirt.