House Explosion Leaves Vernon Family With 'Nothing' Three Weeks Before School Starts

VERNON, CT — The site of the home explosion at 4 East Street has been reduced to rubble and as demolition crews sifted through the pile on Monday, one thing was clear.

The victims have been left with nothing with about three weeks before school starts on Aug. 31.

"The family really has lost everything," s family friend, Jennifer Kirchmeier said Sunday night. "But the community is being very supportive."

Kirchmeier is an administrator of Facebook page,"Clothing Drive for the Kerstetter Family." It has been set up to filter donations thatcan be dropped off at The Cornerstone Floundation, 3 Prospect Street. KIrchmeier volunteers there.

A Go Fund Me account has been set up for monetary donations.

It is a different account than the one set up last week that included more than $6,500 in pledges, but family friends and relatives decided to shift it over to another to be promoted on the Facebook page.

Vernon Public School Administrators are collecting donations for the affected victims from anyone wishing to donate. Donations so far have included clothing, cash and gift cards. These donations can be dropped off during business hours in the Main office of the schools. Several of the victims were students at the Vernon Public Schools.

The children go to Northeast School and Cheney Tech, Kirchmeier said.

Investigators said at a news conference Saturday that the source of the accidental explosion was caused by a propane leak from a gas line supplying a dryer in the home.

The explosion at 4 East St. rocked the tight-knit neighborhood in the Rockville section of town at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. That section of town features older houses packed close together surrounded by old factory complexes. The explosion blew out the lower section of the house, and the roof collapsed.

Inside the house were a 7-year-old boy, a 15-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman, police said.
Outside the home were two girls, 11 and 12, and a 60-year-old man, police said.

See the full account of the explosion and rescue efforts here.