An explosion that killed James Harry Ingoldsby, 57, and destroyed his Byrnes Mill home on Sept. 9 may have been caused by a propane gas leak, said Capt. Gary Higginbotham of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our cause and origin will probably have to stay undetermined, but may possibly be a gas leak,” Higginbotham said. “(We) just cannot say for sure because of the resulting damage.”
The explosion occurred just after 5 p.m., destroying the ranch home in the 3700 block of Clearview Drive, scattering debris all over the neighborhood and rattling the windows of nearby homes.
Ingoldsby was inside his home when it blew up.
His wife, Evelyn “Brenda” Ingoldsby, 56, also was home and was hurt in the blast, Byrnes Mill Police Chief Gary Dougherty said.
Neighbors and police pulled her out of the debris, said Byrnes Mill resident Jim McBroom, who was at the scene.
She was then transported to SSM Health St. Clare Hospital in Fenton with minor injuries but later was released, said Engineer John Barton of the High Ridge Fire Protection District.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Fire Investigation Team and the state Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the explosion, said Capt. Andy Sides of the Sheriff’s Office.