The
house in the little Missouri hamlet of Defiance blew up, killing two small
children.
Because
of the extreme weather, their school had canceled classes, so they were at
home.
Before
Julian Keiser, age four, and Jamison Keiser, age six, could escape their
burning house near Highway 94, just outside of St. Louis, or be saved, they
passed away early on Friday morning.
Their
mother, Evelyn Turpiano, and grandparents, Jennifer and Vern Ham, were able to
flee and reach safety, according to officials and a GoFundMe page.
The
news source was informed by a neighbor, Sharon Oberlag, that “they were the
nicest little boys.” “They thought school was the coolest thing ever, and they
were so cute.”
Because
their school had canceled lessons to protect the children from the cold,
Jaiden, who had just started kindergarten, and Julian were at home when the
bomb went off, she added.
Firefighters
couldn’t reach the victims in time since the house was already on fire when
they arrived.
According
to New Melle Fire Protection District Chief Dan Casey, the smoke eaters entered
via a window in search of the lads.
“The
fire prevented them from being found right away,” Casey stated. Later, the
boys’ bodies were discovered.
Oberlag
reported to KMOV that she heard an explosion-like sound coming from the
residence.
“Thank
God, we didn’t know we were going to lose the two little boys, but everyone
came running to help.” What transpired is really tragic,” she said to the news
outlet.
Oberlag
went on, “They attempted, but were unable, to capture the boys, Nick and
Travis, who lived next door. It is awful.
The
cause of the explosion and fire is still being investigated.
The
Hoffmann Family of Companies, a Florida-based enterprise founded by Missourians
David and Jerri Hoffmann, was the owner of the building. According to the
Post-Dispatch, the Hoffmanns purchased nearby wineries and eateries with the
intention of turning the region into the Midwest’s Napa Valley.
“Our
hearts are with the member of our team and their family who lost their children
and grandchildren,” the firm stated in a statement on Friday. “As a family-run
company, we are committed to supporting our staff and our community.”
According
to the news source, the house was close to the Defiance RoadHouse, a bar and
grill owned by Turpiano, the boys’ mother.
The
Post-Dispatch was informed by Dan Tripp, a co-owner of Good News Brewing in
Defiance, that Jennifer Ham, Turpiano’s mother, had also operated the for many
years.
For
the family, Tripp created a GoFundMe campaign, which as of Monday morning had
raised over $145,000. He mentioned that both women belong to the Defiance
Merchants Association, an organization that supports the regional wine
industry.
They
say, “You will never forget how excited they were about life and how much joy
they brought to everyone around them if you ever met the boys at the Defiance
Roadhouse, the Christmas Festival, or the St. Patrick’s Day parade.”
The
family will have to pay for two funerals in addition to losing their house and
everything they possessed. The statement reads, “The family will need your
prayers and emotional support as they grieve the loss of two special little
boys in addition to your financial contributions.”
A neighbor named Laura Emerson stopped over to place her Christmas wreath on a
water pump by the destroyed house. She hung the wreath up after stuffing it
with two plush animals.
“Those
boys appeared content.” They were intelligent. They were happy. She informed
the press, “They were loved.”
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