A Eureka-area house was reduced to rubble after an explosion late in the evening on June 28.
Assistant Fire Chief Scott Barthelmass said Eureka Fire Protection District crews were dispatched at 11:16 p.m. to River Ends Drive in the unincorporated portion of Eureka in Jefferson County for what was initially classified as a house fire.
“While en route, the crew responding were advised that the house had exploded and there may be people trapped,” Barthelmass said. “When they first got there, (crews) extinguished a very small fire. Neighbors had reported they believed there may be two people trapped inside, so crews started an extensive search through the rubble.”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Brian Taylor said a female in her mid-30s and a 3-year-old child lived at the residence but were not home at the time of the explosion.
A male in his mid-40s, who also lived at the house, is still unaccounted for, but first responders were confident he was not in the rubble, Taylor said on Monday.
“We’re still looking for the individual to talk to him to see what kind of information he may or may not have – whether he’s a witness to anything – we’re still trying to figure that out,” Taylor said. “The subject has some pending criminal issues he has to deal with so we’ve been having difficulty tracking him down.”
Taylor said a Sheriff’s Office investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing. He said neighbors were cooperative with investigators.
“The neighbors have a wide variety of theories as to what may have happened,” Taylor said. “We heard some cases of people smelling propane, others believe there may have been some criminal activity involved as to what happened at the house. Because of the late hour, they heard no disturbance or anything before the explosion.”
Barthelmass said crews cleared the scene at 4:25 a.m. June 29. He said one firefighter became overheated and another injured his back during the search through the rubble. Both were treated at the scene, he said.
The Cedar Hill, High Ridge, Fenton, Metro West, Boles and Pacific fire protection districts assisted on the call, Barthelmass said. Big River and North Jefferson County ambulance districts were also on the scene. He said the Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted with traffic control.
“Kudos to Eureka Fire and the other fire districts that were there,” Taylor said. “They were on top of it so fast and did such a phenomenal job of getting power companies to the area and checking on neighbors. I have a lot of appreciation for the fire guys. They made us feel extremely safe when we as law enforcement showed up to do our job on it.”