April 13, 2004 – 161 Divison St. – Madison, WI
Explosion heard miles away as it levels one home, damages others.
It seemed as if the entire East Side moved one April morning when a home exploded, one man was killed,
damage was in the millions, and many were left homeless. It was a natural gas explosion, caused when
a valve was opened and the gas ignited. It shattered windows as far as two blocks away and rocked
people out of bed for miles.
Michael Kreul, a UW-Madison custodian, was confirmed dead at the blast site. The home was reduced to a two-story mass of
smoldering rubble shortly before 4 a.m.
Michael Kreul (51)
