FLORISSANT, MO (KTVI) – A house explosion in Florissant sent two brothers to the hospital with burn injuries. One of them was in critical condition Sunday evening. First responders were not immediately aware of the condition of the second victim. Neighbors say it appeared one victim was more seriously injured than the other one.
The explosion happened at approximately 2pm at a home in the 800 block of Pershall Road. Neighbors said both injured men appeared conscious as they escaped. A third person inside the home was not injured.
“One of them was staggering around the back yard. I hollered over from my back yard,” said George Simms, neighbor. “He couldn’t hear me. He was dazed.”
The force of the explosion sent debris into neighbors’ yards. Siding was damaged on homes immediately next to the flattened home. Firefighters described the explosion as having a pancake effect on the house.
“It appears the front wall was blown out, at that time the roof fell straight down on top of the floor,” said Florissant Valley Fire Protection Battalion Chief Jason Hoevelmann.
He said the Florissant Police department would take over the investigation. There were several Laclede Gas workers on the scene shortly after the explosion. A spokesman for the Florissant Police Department said it was too soon to offer an explanation for what fueled the explosion.
