Two bodies found amid rubble of home explosion outside Excelsior Springs
Two bodies were found in the rubble of a home that exploded outside Excelsior Springs Friday morning, a spokeswoman for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.
Crews began the search early Friday morning for the two people who lived in the home, following the explosion. Their bodies were found around midday.
Canines from the Missouri Search and Rescue K9 were brought in to help search the rubble, said Sarah Boyd with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. In addition to the two bodies, investigators found a deceased dog at the scene believed to have been killed in the blast.
It’s not yet known what caused the explosion, authorities said. The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Missouri Propane Safety Commission have responded to the scene to investigate.
So far, the explosion appears accidental and there are no early signs of foul play, said Boyd.
A medical examiner responded to the scene to recover the bodies.
Callers began reporting shortly after 4:40 a.m. that their neighbors’ home had exploded in the 14400 block of Kimberly Drive in rural Clay County, Boyd said.
When deputies arrived, they found the home completely leveled from the blast and on fire. The Excelsior Springs Fire Department responded to the blaze and extinguished the flames.
The neighborhood outside of Excelsior Springs city limits in rural Clay County consists of a dozen homes that were built on larger lots around the same time.
A neighbor said many of those living there moved in around the same time, so they know one another.
Investigators will be looking into whether a leak lead to the explosion, Boyd said, noting that homes in the neighborhood use propane for heating and cooking.
The explosion was felt for miles around. The blast damaged nearby homes and blew open some doors, but no neighbors were hurt, Boyd said.
This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 10:38 AM.
