A caught on video house explosion in Bethel, Ohio, claimed the lives of a couple and critically injured another man who was rushed to an area hospital. The incident reportedly occurred on Vic Joy Drive in the Village of Bethel on Tuesday morning, November 19, 2024.
The dramatic moment when the house exploded on the quiet street was caught on a neighbor's doorbell camera. The video was circulated by multiple media websites and online on X. The cause of the explosion was unconfirmed, but the video that caught the blast showed debris raining down on the neighborhood.
While authorities did not disclose the names of the victims, a GoFundMe page initiated after the Ohio blast to render financial assistance to the deceased victim's families, identified the woman as 52-year-old Hellen Colston, widely known as Lucy Colston/Evans. Meanwhile, social media posts and Cincinnati Enquirer identified the deceased man as Barry Stone (77), described as a Vietnam war veteran by a neighbor. Hellen was believed to be Barry’s girlfriend.
The fundraiser created by Hellen Colston’s sister said:
“Hellen Colston most know her as Lucy Colston/Evans (52 years old), was one of the victims involved in the explosion that occurred today. She left behind a kid, grandkids, nieces, and 2 sisters." The fundraiser added, “If anyone would like to donate for the expenses of the cremation it would be appreciated.”
The injured man in the house, identified by social media as an HVAC worker, was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for burn treatment.
What we know about Bethel, Ohio house explosion
According to Bethel Fire Chief Christopher Cooper, cited in multiple reports, the Ohio blast occurred at around 8:44 a.m. on Vic Joy Drive in the Village of Bethel. Authorities said there were several cats in and around the home at the time of the explosion. It is unclear if the animals survived the blast. Authorities also said the single-story house was running on Propane.
A neighbor, Derrick Gullett, told Cincinnati Enquirer the man, a Vietnam War veteran, who owned the house, was friendly but mostly kept to himself. Gullett added:
"He was always the first one to give you a wave.”
Meanwhile, another neighbor Stephanie Young told WLWT:
"I heard a boom. You could feel it, it was louder than any boom I've ever heard. This was undeniably loud."
Recounting the explosion a third neighbor said:
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"It rattled my house. My dog, she was in the room with me. She probably jumped high enough to touch the ceiling and I know I jumped out of bed as quick as I could, because I didn't know what happened. It sounded as if I thought somebody had driven into the side of my house. Like, I felt the shockwave through a brick house."
The cause and circumstances surrounding the Ohio house blast remain under investigation.
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