Local

Watch Ring camera footage of Gladstone home explosion that killed man and dog

A next-door neighbor’s Ring camera captured the fatal home explosion in Gladstone that killed a man and dog, leveled the house they were in and caused significant damage to nearby residences on Saturday morning.

The cause of the devastating blast is still under investigation as of Sunday afternoon. The investigation has been turned over to the Missouri Fire Marshal of the Missouri Division of Fire Safety.

Ashleigh Tomlin, who lives next door, was in her kitchen when she hit the ground. Her security footage captured the explosion.

“We thought a plane hit the house,” she said. “We were like, what the hell just happened.”

Ring camera footage from a neighbor captured the moment a house exploded in Gladstone on Saturday, May 31.
Ring camera footage from a neighbor captured the moment a house exploded in Gladstone on Saturday, May 31. Ashleigh Tomlin/Ring camera

The street the explosion occurred on, Northeast 74th Terrace, remains closed to traffic from North Oak Trafficway to Main Street for as crews work to clear debris, according to Gladstone Fire Chief Mike Desautels.

According to an Evergy outage map, the explosion caused several customers to lose power in the area. It has since been restored.

Desautels said the investigation into what caused the deadly explosion will likely take some time because of the significant debris it caused.

The cause of the home explosion that killed one man, destroyed his home and left several nearby residences damaged remains under investigation as of Saturday, May 31, hours after it occurred.
The cause of the home explosion that killed one man, destroyed his home and left several nearby residences damaged remains under investigation as of Saturday, May 31, hours after it occurred. Kendrick Calfee/The Star
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
The Kansas City Star
Noelle Alviz-Gransee is a breaking news reporter for the Kansas City Star. She studied journalism and political science at MU and has previously written for the Des Moines Register, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, The Missourian, Startland News and the Missouri Business Alert.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER