EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) – Due to the explosion on Weinbach Ave. over a dozen families were uprooted from their homes and it was last thing one couple expected to do as they prepare for one of the biggest moments of their lives.
Trevor McDowell and his fiancé Maddie Struble home sits across from the home that exploded. They had been living in their home for just over a year and plan to get married in to months.
Now they are left wondering what the next step of their lives will be.
“I called the dispatch and asked them what was going on and the lady told me there was an explosion across the street then I looked at the front ring doorbell and I was absolutely in shock,” Struble explained. “Everything was collapsing around and it was horrible, devastating.”
It was more than four hours before they were allowed into their home to observe the damage, and when they finally walked through, things became emotional quickly.
“We basically just looked at the damage and everything and we were pretty upset because this is their first house so we lived here for about a year now so that was pretty hard,” McDowell said.
After searching long and hard for a place for their family, this was one of the last things they expected to happen.
“We were looking for forever it seems like,” Struble said. “We wanted something that was big enough just to grow a family and live here for a few years and that all came crashing down when this unfortunate event happened.”
Their home is over 100 years old and is filled with a lot of history. For McDowell and Struble, that is what they were hoping to create in the home as well.
mcdowell: “Seeing all the woodwork basically costumed made and everything,” McDowell said. “It’s a part of history but not only that, it’s a part of our lives.”
The couple say they were happy most of their household was unhurt by the blast as the only people home at the time were their animals.
“You never know if one of us called in sick and just stayed home for the day,” McDowell said. “If we were up here or our dogs were up in the front room which they usually aren’t but if they were, it would’ve been bad news.”
Their two dogs were fine and were returned to them but they are still missing their cat.
Though the last 36 hours have been difficult for them they say nothing is going to stop them from walking down the aisle in October. Struble does say she was thankful her wedding dress wasn’t home at the time but they know they have a long road ahead of them.
