Updated April 15, 2025. A devastating house explosion in Lexington, Missouri, claimed the life of 5-year-old Alistair Lamb and critically injured his father and sister on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. Investigators determined that a subcontractor struck an underground gas line while installing fiber optic cables behind a nearby funeral home, leading to a gas leak that caused the explosion.
The force of the blast leveled the family’s retnal home near 18th Street and Franklin Avenue. Alistair’s father Jacob Cunningham and his 10-year-old sister Cami sustained severe burn injuries and were airlifted to hospitals in Kansas City. Tragically, Alistair died in the explosion.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to help support the family, they had just returned home for the evening when Jacob reportedly turned on a light switch and the house exploded. Authorities have not officially confirmed the ignition source, but this detail underscores the silent danger of leaking gas.
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What Caused the Lexington House Explosion?
Emergency responders from Lexington Fire and Police rushed to the scene, joined by multiple neighboring agencies. As a precaution, officials shut off natural gas services to Lexington. Liberty Utilities, branded locally as Liberty Gas, halted gas to 1,900 meters across Lexington while crews inspected the area.
Many residents reported feeling or hearing the explosion from blocks away. One neighbor described the scene to KSHB News as ” just terrible…flames were everywhere—in three different houses.”
Early reports indicate the explosion stemmed from utility construction work conducted earlier that day. A subcontractor was installing underground fiber-optic lines behind the Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home on 18th Street when they struck a natural gas main owned and maintained by Liberty Gas.
According to Sellenriek Construction, the company overseeing the project, their subcontractor Alfra Company, contacted Missouri 811 before excavation to locate underground lines and reported the incident to authorities after the gas line was struck.
Despite these actions, the leak led to a deadly explosion hours later.
A certified fire investigator told KSHB News that the gas pipe was likely plastic because the blast happened almost three and a half hours after the pipe was struck.
Investigators from multiple agencies are now examining how this happened and who may be at fault. The investigation includes a six-month inspection by OSHA, oversight by the Missouri State Fire Marshal, and a federal inquiry by the NSTB, which investigates pipeline and utility-related incidents.
Liberty Gas and Pipeline Safety Concerns
Liberty Utilities has faced public scrutiny over its gas infrastructure in other states. In 2020, Liberty abandoned its Granite Bridge pipeline project in New Hampshire after community backlash over safety and environmental risks.
In 2019, Liberty faced significant community opposition in New Hampshire over its proposed Granite Bridge pipeline, which would have transported liquefied natural gas (LNG) through several towns. The gas company hosted a “science fair” event in Epping to educate the public about LNG gas in an attempt to ease safety concerns.
Tragically, just hours after that event, a pipeline explosion in Lincoln County, Kentucky, killed one woman, destroyed multiple homes, and shook public confidence in gas infrastructure across the country.
Pritzker Hageman explosion attorney Eric Hageman was interviewed by the Lexington Herald-Leader about the Lincoln County disaster, raising critical questions about industry safety practices and the risks of pipeline systems. In the wake of public backlash and growing safety concerns, Liberty ultimately canceled the Granite Bridge project in 2020.
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A Recognized Voice on Pipeline Safety
Attorney Eric Hageman, who leads our firm’s explosion and burn injury legal team, has been a vocal advocate for pipeline safety and corporate accountability. He has represented families nationwide after gas explosions and has frequently spoken with the media about the dangers of aging infrastructure and inadequate safety protocols.
In an interview with CBS News affiliate WCCO-TV, Eric discussed the risks that everyday families face when utility companies fail to properly mark or maintain gas lines. He emphasized that what makes these cases so tragic is that they’re often entirely preventable.
These explosions don’t happen without a failure somewhere. The families left behind deserve answers and accountability. — Attorney Eric Hageman
The Need for Greater Transparency from Gas Companies
In the days following the Lexington house explosion, residents voiced growing concerns about the gas company’s lack of timely communication. As reported by Fox 4KC News, neighbors who reported smelling gas before the explosion said they were left in the dark about whether it was safe to remain in their homes.
Unfortunately, this pattern isn’t new. Attorney Eric Hageman has long advocated for better transparency and accountability from gas companies. In a WCCO-TV segment titled “What Gas Companies Aren’t Telling You,” Eric warned of a widespread failure to communicate hazards to the public, even when utility companies are aware of potential risks.
I think knowledge is power. I think if people are aware of these risks they can take action. — Attorney Eric Hageman
Transparency is not optional when lives are at stake. Families deserve answers, not silence, after a disaster.
Legal Action After a Gas Explosion
A gas explosion can change lives in an instant. At Pritzker Hageman, we help families nationwide hold negligent gas companies and contractors accountable when preventable tragedies like this occur.
If your loved one was seriously injured or killed in a house explosion caused by a gas leak, you may have the right to pursue a gas explosion lawsuit. These cases can provide not only financial compensation but also answers about what went wrong and who should be held responsible.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
After a gas explosion, multiple parties may be at fault, including:
- Utility companies that failed to properly mark or maintain gas lines
- Contractors or subcontractors who damaged gas pipelines during construction
- Equipment manufacturers if faulty valves, regulators, or lines contributed to the leak
- Emergency responders or pipeline operators who failed to act promptly
Our legal team works with fire origin and cause experts, pipeline safety engineers, and investigators to conduct an independent investigation that identifies exactly how and why an explosion occurred and who can be held accountable. Let us take on the legal burden while you focus on healing.
Our Commitment to Burn Survivors and Families
At Pritzker Hageman, we represent burn survivors and families nationwide who have been impacted by explosions. We have recovered millions for clients in wrongful death and burn injury cases related to gas explosions, propane leaks, and pipeline failures.
Our attorneys are proud supporters of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors and members of the American Burn Association. We have contributed over $100,000 to burn care programs, and we continue to stand with burn survivors and their families.
Contact a Gas Explosion Lawyer
If you or a loved one was injured in a gas line explosion, we’re here to help. The attorneys at Pritzker Hageman are nationally recognized for their work representing burn survivors and families who lost a loved one in explosion lawsuits. We have the experience, resources, and compassion to guide families through one of the most difficult times of their lives.
We offer free, no-obligation consultations and handle all explosion cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win. Please call us at 1-888-377-8900, text us at 612-261-0856, or fill out the form below.