3-year-old and parents die in home explosion, Missouri cops say. Others hospitalized

UPDATE: A 22-year-old mom died of her injuries after a house exploded in Missouri, according to the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say she died Aug. 19 at a Tennessee burn unit, four days after the home explosion. Her partner and their 3-year-old child died days earlier.

The other victims are in stable condition and receiving treatment at hospitals across the Midwest, officials say.

The original story is below.

Days after a Missouri dad died in a home explosion, his 3-year-old daughter died of related injuries, according to authorities. The toddler’s mom and 6-month-old sister are in critical condition, fighting for their lives.

Five others are in “stable condition” as of Thursday, Aug. 18, as they receive medical treatment at hospitals across the Midwest.

“Please pray for this family and everyone who was involved in this incident,” Mississippi County Sheriff Britton Ferrell said in a statement. “This incident was beyond tragic and struck this community hard.”

Authorities were called to the home explosion in Wyatt at about 7 a.m. on Aug. 15. Ten people, from 6 months old to their mid-20s, were found injured.

They were all inside the home at the time of the explosion, according to KFVS.

The explosion has been ruled an accident, but an investigation is ongoing, according to a news release.

“Investigators determined the cause of the explosion is from propane gas that filled the residence,” the sheriff’s office said. “The leak is narrowed down to the gas cook stove or a gas water heater. It is unknown at this time what the ignition source was that ignited the gas.”

Authorities say the explosion was not drug related, and they do not suspect foul play.

Annually, less than 10 Missouri homes explode due to a gas leak, according to the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities say you should leave your home immediately after smelling gas, then call 911. It might smell like rotten eggs.

Wyatt, in the southeast corner of Missouri, is about 160 miles southeast of St. Louis.

This story was originally published August 19, 2022 at 10:54 AM with the headline "3-year-old and parents die in home explosion, Missouri cops say. Others hospitalized."