Five-year-old dies in gas line explosion at Missouri home. Citywide gas shutdown ongoing
A 5-year-old boy died in a home explosion in Lexington, Missouri, on Wednesday night after a worker allegedly struck a gas line nearby, according to city officials.
The explosion happened around 7:45 p.m. after an employee subcontracted by Sellenriek Construction “hit a gas line” behind a funeral home at 18th Street and Franklin Avenue, according to city officials. The boy, identified by relatives as Alistair Lamb, was killed in the blast.
Alistair’s 10-year-old sister, Camillia “Cami” Lamb, and their father, Jacob Cunningham, who were also home at the time of the explosion, were severely burned, according to relatives. The two were airlifted to separate Kansas City hospitals, where they are in critical but stable condition, Cunningham’s aunt Nicole Lovellette wrote on a GoFundMe page benefiting the family.
“When Jake flipped the light switch, the home exploded,” Lovellette wrote. “Leaving only debris.”
In a Thursday night news release, Sellenriek Construction CEO Steve Sellenriek wrote that the explosion occurred after the employee struck an unmarked underground gas line while attempting to install fiber optic cable. In the release, Sellenriek stated the gas line was not “properly marked” with signage or paint above ground.
“According to the information we have gathered as of this moment, the subcontractor followed all required procedures before, during, and after the accident,” Sellenriek said. “We will continue to support the investigation, and this community.”
Sellenriek also said that the employee called Missouri’s 811 information line to verify the location of all underground utilities, including gas lines, before starting to dig.
City and police officials cleared at least three residential blocks in the aftermath of the explosion Wednesday night, telling residents to avoid Franklin Avenue between 16th and 19th streets. Several other homes on the street were also damaged, according to relatives and city officials.
Liberty Gas, which provides gas services throughout Lexington, shut off gas lines citywide Wednesday night and instructed all residents to check pilot lights in their homes, city officials said. Gas service resumed in some areas of the city Thursday morning, though 2,000 Liberty customers remained without gas as of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, according to city officials.
Lexington city officials brought a mental health counselor to city hall Thursday night to speak with residents, in association with Compass Behavior Health.
The GoFundMe page to help cover Alistair’s funeral costs and future expenses for Cunningham and Cami had raised over $5,600 from 81 donations as of Thursday evening. Relatives have also established an account at Bank Midwest in Lexington, in the name of Cunningham’s mother, Cathie Woods, to collect additional donations.
Alistair Lamb was preceded in death by Rachel Lamb-Cunningham, who was Cunningham’s wife and Alistair and Cami’s mother. Lamb-Cunningham, 31, died in December 2023 of medical complications, according to an obituary shared online.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM.
