Elliot Olsen is a nationally respected fire and explosion lawyer who has regained millions for clients. If you know the family affected by this Wolfe County house explosion, you should persuade them to call Elliot at (612) 337-6126 for a free consultation. He understands the pain and suffering experienced after such a tragic event, and he can help survivors make their way on the road to recovery.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office in Kentucky announced that Albert Vanderpool, 80, died from the burn injuries he sustained in Saturday’s Wolfe County house explosion.
Meanwhile, the Wolfe County coroner released the names of the two people who died in the explosion. They are Phillip Vanderpool, 52, and his wife Sueann Vanderpool, 48.
There were six members of the Vanderpool family inside the home, which is off Highway 15 south of Campton, when the explosion occurred Saturday afternoon. One is still in the hospital recovering from burn injuries.
Phillip and Sueann were in the basement, where the blast originated.
Investigators do not yet know what caused the explosion. An unidentified gas company also is investigating the explosion.
Wolfe County house explosion:
Gas smell reported before blast
Wolfe County Emergency Management director Marcus Stephens told LEX 18 TV that dispatch received two calls from someone in the home complaining about the smell of gas before the blast. Stephens could not give an exact time line of events.
The smell of gas lingered, because Stevens said dispatchers received a second call. At that point, dispatchers notified the volunteer fire departments from Campton and Hazel Green.
Stephens said firefighters were en route to the address when the explosion occurred.
Wolfe County house explosion:
GoFundMe page established
A neighbor who has lived next to the Vanderpools for more than 20 years said she saw and heard the explosion. She said she immediately called 911.
Leonard Stone, a family friend, said: “I just hate to see anything like this happen to anybody, but especially them because I know them.”
Stone confirmed that one victim is still hospitalized in critical condition.
“One minute you had your grandparents, the next minute they’re gone,” Stone said. “One minute you had a mom and dad, and the next minute they’re gone.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Vanderpool family.
Minneapolis high-rise fire
kills 5, injures numerous others
From NBC News: Five people died and at least four others were injured after a fire erupted in a high-rise apartment building near downtown Minneapolis early Wednesday. The victims had not been identified as of 12 hours later.
The “tragic” and “horrendous” blaze at the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s Cedar High Apartments broke out at about 4 a.m. on the 14th floor before heavy smoke also spread up to the 17th floor, authorities said.
Officials said the 25-story building, in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood at Cedar Avenue and South 6th Street, is comprised of 191 one-bedroom and studio units with 198 residents. The area has a large population of Somali immigrants.
The blaze had a “pretty good head start” by the time firefighters were called, Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel said. “It had been burning for a while,” he said.
Minneapolis high-rise fire:
Snow complicated situation
Minneapolis was in the midst of a snowstorm when the blaze erupted, and firefighters didn’t immediately realize the severity of flames when they arrived at the apartment complex.
“It looked like a typical fire alarm, but with the heavy snow and stuff, there was a fire showing out of the 14th floor that they didn’t even initially see,” Fruetel said. “We experienced heavy fire and very high heat.”
Hours later, Fruetel said the blaze appears “accidental” but that investigators need more time to determine the exact cause.
Minneapolis high-rise fire:
Firefighter among injured
Jeff Horwich, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Public Housing, said authority buildings are made to so flames don’t spread.
“The buildings are made of concrete, natural fireproofing between units that typically keeps a fire from spreading,” Horwich said. “Clearly it did spread to multiple units.”
One person could not use the staircase to escape and had to be rescued from an elevator on the 13th floor, officials said. A firefighter was among the injured, Freutel said.
The fire was brought under control at about 6 a.m., the fire department tweeted.
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