[Coroner releases names of victims killed in Evansville house explosion] Looking at the devastation and aftermath on Weinbach Avenue, it’s easy to see the impact this tragedy is already having on those living in the surrounding area. What can be harder to see is the impact on the victim’s family. Aaron Hite was close with his uncle, Charles. “I was like peas in a pod, basically very close to him,” she said. Aaron says he heard the news about the explosion while at work. He rushed to the hospital where he learned that his uncle had already passed. Martina died soon after. “When I heard that, I was in the waiting room, my mind was blank,” Aaron said. “I couldn’t think, I was devastated. I was so scared and upset. It was difficult.” Family members say Charles and Martina worked together at the Fresh Market. Charles loved CB radio and Martina loved cats. Aaron says she was a great aunt and uncle. Aaron says their family is dealing with the loss hard and it’s overwhelming to think how suddenly things can change. “Anything can happen quickly, you don’t know in the next second what’s going to happen,” Aaron said. “You don’t know if something might happen, you just don’t know. It hurts.” On the morning of the explosion, Aaron spoke to his uncle on the phone. Since then he thought a lot about their conversation. “His last words were ‘I love you,’” Aaron said. As Charles and Martina’s families grieve, they are also planning funerals for the two. Copyright 2022 WFIE. All rights reserved.
