ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – St. Louis authorities have released the identity of one of the victims killed in powerful boiler explosion Monday morning. 59-year-old Kenneth Trentham lived in the 45-hundred block of Tholozan in south St Louis. The explosion sent a massive part of the boiler through the roof of one factory and crashing through the roof of another business some 500 feet away.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said Monday morning’s explosion resulted in a total 3 three deaths and 4 serious injuries. The boiler exploded inside the Loy-Lange Box Company located in the 200 block of Russell Blvd. One worker was killed and two workers injured inside that building. One worker was listed in critical condition and the other worker was in serious condition, according to Jenkerson.
A massive part of the boiler weighing a ton or more crashed through the roof of the Faultless Linen Company located on South Broadway. Two workers were killed and a third critically injured. The workers had just been hired and were filling out paperwork for their first day on the job.
“Really want the whole St. Louis community and our employee base to know how devastated we are about this completely, completely unpredictable accident,” said Faultess Chief Operating Officer Mark Spence. “Our hearts, our prayers go to the employees who tragically lost their lives this morning. “We’re doing everything we can to help their families and help our employees.”
Jenkerson said it was a miracle there were not more injures. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
