Pipeline Explodes; Fire Burns 4 Houses

A gas pipeline exploded and touched off a fire that destroyed four houses and apparently killed one resident. Another resident, a 35-year-old man, suffered third-degree burns and was hospitalized in good condition. Firefighters found the body of a woman in a burned-out house near the site of the explosion in Indianapolis, officials said. They refused to confirm that she was killed by the blast; the coroner was investigating. Workers apparently punctured the gas main and left 10 to 15 minutes before the explosion.