Bagley explosion victims in critical but stable condition

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal is sharing new details about the Bagley explosion that injured one adult and five children, and is warning residents to be careful with propane.

State Fire Marshal Dan Krier confirmed what had already been speculated: a propane tank and a lighter the incident.

A news release from the state fire marshal said a storage container had been opened to retrieve toys inside.

However, the container also contained a 100-pound propane container, which was believed to be empty and contained enough residual gas to fill the storage container to “dangerous levels.”

The news release states that the children, unaware of the danger, had entered the container first and failed to recognize the smell of propane when a cigarette lighter created a spark that caused the explosion.

Five children and their father were injured in the explosion. The State Fire Marshal says all six are in critical but stable condition at a hospital in Minneapolis.

“This family faces a long road to recovery, but they are bravely sharing their story so that no one else experiences such a devastating accident,” Krier said. “We hope this family’s tragedy reminds us to take precautions when storing and handling propane.”

A GoFundMe for the whole family was founded to help with their medical costs.

Krier says propane tanks should always be stored outdoors and that homes, RVs and other areas where propane units are used should have explosive gas detectors.

Anyone who notices the smell of gas should evacuate the area and call 911 and should not turn on or off lights or ignite flames.