'I want them to find the answer': Neighbour recounts Whitehorse house explosion

The shock and the horror of what happened a week ago are still fresh in Kelly Murray's mind. 

"It was a terrible morning," Murray said, recalling the explosion last Tuesday in Whitehorse's Riverdale neighbourhood, that killed one person and injured another, destroyed a neighbour's house and damaged many more, including Murray's.

Murray still struggles to describe his experience that morning, when his house suddenly shook and he and his wife were thrown from their bed. His voice breaks as he recalls the fear and confusion of those initial moments. 

"At first we thought it was an earthquake ... we didn't know if the house was coming down, it was such a tremendous blast," he said.

"Hearing it doesn't compare to the jolt and the movement and the crunch and the crash you hear of your house and everything else going on around you." 

The explosion happened at a home right across the street from Murray. It sent debris flying throughout the area, onto people's homes and in their yards. Murray found pieces of siding, wood, insulation and other materials in his front and backyards. He's amazed that no building debris came down "like spears" onto anybody's home.

There's been no official word on what caused the blast, but on Friday Yukon RCMP said the incident was now the subject of a criminal investigation. Police offered no other details.

Asked about the criminal investigation, Murray said he figured police were doing what they needed to get to the bottom of things.

"I want them to find the answer, I want them to have definitives," he said.

"Because this is a tragic event, and we all have to live through whatever this is  … you have to feel secure."

He's still waiting for home inspectors to come assess the damage to his own home and determine whether it needs any structural repairs. His front door no longer closes properly, and inside there are gaps where the walls meet the ceiling. 

Other homes in the area were also damaged. The city's mayor said last week that more than a dozen homes in the Riverdale neighbourhood were directly affected by the blast.

Ben Eisele, manager at All-West Glass in Whitehorse, said he's been getting calls from some of those homeowners.

"There was one client where every single window in their house was destroyed," he said.

"I feel sorry for what happened to everyone."

Murray said he's been touched by the support he's received.

"People have reached out from everywhere, just to assure our safety and our well-being, and offers of kindness and support," he said. 

"We're very lucky. Very fortunate."