Investigators are currently working on determining the cause of an explosion that resulted in the destruction of a home in Ragley, Louisiana, claiming the life of a teenage boy from Alabama and injuring five other individuals. According to Louisiana State Fire Marshal Bryan J. Adams, the explosion occurred on a Saturday morning, with firefighters responding to find the house already engulfed in flames. The impact of the explosion was severe, completely leveling the house and causing debris to scatter over a considerable distance, along with causing significant damage to nearby vehicles and a metal outbuilding.
The victim of the explosion was identified as 16-year-old Deuce Barrer from Theodore, Alabama, as reported by WKRG-TV. Among the injured were Barrer’s older sister and mother, who were all transported to hospitals for treatment. Fortunately, a toddler who was present in the house at the time of the explosion emerged unharmed and is currently under the care of family members. In a statement, Adams expressed profound sorrow, describing the incident as an “unimaginable tragedy for this family and community.”
Residents in the vicinity recounted to KPLC-TV that the force of the explosion was so intense it felt akin to an earthquake, causing items in their homes to fall and disrupting power supply. Ragley, the location of the incident, lies approximately 20 miles north of Lake Charles.
