What a tragedy! The whole country …

Two little boys, Julian Keiser, age 4, and Jamison Keiser, age 6, were sadly killed when a house in Defiance, Missouri, detonated on Friday morning. They were at home when the explosion happened because their school had canceled classes because of the severe weather. Their grandparents, Jennifer and Vern Ham, as well as their mother, Evelyn Turpiano, were able to get away without incident.

Firefighters showed up, but the fierce flames prevented them from getting to the lads in time. “They were not immediately discovered due to the fire,” said New Melle Fire Protection District Chief Dan Casey. The boys were “the nicest little boys,” according to neighbor Sharon Oberlag, who heard the explosion. “They thought school was the coolest thing ever,” she added.

“Our hearts are with the member of our team and their family who lost their children and grandchildren,” said the building’s owners, the Hoffmann Family of Companies.

Over $145,000 has been raised for the family through a GoFundMe effort. Noting that both women were involved in the Defiance Merchants Association, Dan Tripp, a co-owner of Good News Brewing in Defiance, initiated the campaign. The loss of their home and the funerals will require assistance for the family.

Neighbor Laura Emerson placed a Christmas wreath on the destroyed house, saying, “Those boys appeared content. They were intelligent. They were happy. They were loved.”