Victims of Bagley explosion in critical, but stable condition

Minnesota’s State Fire Marshal is sharing new details about the explosion in Bagley that injured one adult and five children and is warning residents to use caution around propane.

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

A press release from the State Fire Marshal stated that a storage container had been opened to retrieve toys inside.

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

The press release states the children, unaware of the danger, had entered the container first and did not recognize the smell of the propane when a cigarette lighter created a spark, causing the explosion.

Five children and their father were injured in the explosion. The State Fire Marshal states 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 nobody else experiences such a devastating accident,” Krier said. “We hope this family’s tragedy serves as a reminder to take precautions when storing and handling propane.”

A GoFundMe for the family has been set up to help with their medical expenses.

Krier says propane tanks should always be stored outside and that homes, campers, and other areas that use propane units should have explosive gas detectors.

Anyone who does notice a gas smell, should evacuate the area and call 911 and not turn on or off any lights or ignite any flame.