VERSAILLES – An 83-year-old man died Tuesday following an accidental explosion that occurred outside his rural Versailles home.
Investigators with the Indiana State Fire Marshal say Kenneth Hayes was cutting on a fuel tank outside his home in the 6100 block of South Benham Road when an explosion occurred. The resulting fire ignited the nearby garage. Hayes died from his injuries, and the official cause of death is pending an autopsy, according to the Ripley County Coroner’s Office.
Crews from the Versailles and Friendship fire departments responded to the scene and successfully prevented the fire from spreading to the home. Personnel remained on the scene for several hours to investigate the accidental death.
