Pine Ridge Mourns Following Deadly Explosion
Pine Ridge, SD Pine Ridge is in shock, Friday - after an explosion took the lives of at least 4 people.
Officials say a propane explosion turned deadly at a duplex Thursday afternoon.
Estelline Black Feather, a neighbor said "Pretty shocked. Believe me, there's nothing like that, that happened to me in my entire life."
Estelline Black Feather woke up from a nap - to the sound of a blast.
Black Feather said "And I went to the front door and opened it - and that's what I saw was a demolished house and the smell of sulfur coming out."
Black Hills FOX reporter Robert Grant said "You can see the destruction here behind me. All that's left of this duplex - shaking up the entire Pine Ridge community."
Officials say both families were home at the time - searching for the source of a propane smell, when the explosion happened.
The tragedy claimed the lives of an elderly man and woman - along with two other younger females.
Chris White, a neighbor, said "There's a lot of people mourning."
Several others were taken to area hospitals.
Including a little girl, one neighbor says - was taken to a Sioux Falls hospital - fighting for her life.
White said "Speechless right now."
The explosion rocked Pine Ridge - witnesses say nearly a hundred residents flocked to the scene to help put out the flames.
And some add this serves as a stark warning to the community to maintain gas tanks.
Black Feather said "It's involved all of us. We need to wake up and get around to the fact that this thing could've been prevented if it was taken care of in a better way."
White said Several more were taken to area hospitals.
Including a little girl, one neighbor says - was taken to a Sioux Falls hospital - fighting "Just my prayers go out to both families."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Bureau of Indian Affairs have taken over investigations.