Third person dies following house explosion in Wolfe County

WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A third person has died following the house explosion that happened in Wolfe County on Saturday.

According to the Fayette County Coroner's Office, Albert Vanderpool, 80, died on Monday night at the University of Kentucky Hospital.

Vanderpool's official cause of death is hypoxic respiratory failure, which was caused by smoke inhalation. His death was also ruled as an accident.

The explosion happened around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday on Harvest Church Loop Road.

Officials reported on Saturday that four had been injured and two were missing following the explosion.

On Sunday, police found two bodies in the basement of the home.

The two victims were identified on Monday afternoon as 52-year-old Phillip Vanderpool and 48-year-old Sueann Vanderpool.

According to Kentucky State Police Sergeant Bret Kirkland, police are not sure if the victims were already down in the basement when the explosion happened.

According to Wolfe County officials, reports were made about the smell of gas before the home exploded on Saturday.

Dispatch received two calls from an individual in the home complaining about the smell of gas, according to the Wolfe County Emergency Management Director.

EMA Director Marcus Stephens told LEX 18 about the calls on Sunday afternoon, but was unable to give an exact timeline of events.

Stephens said that the caller complained about the smell of gas coming from the basement, where two bodies were found after the explosion.

After the first call, employees of a gas company responded to the home, according to Stephens. It is unclear what they determined.

The smell of gas had apparently lingered, because, according to Stephens, dispatchers later received a second call from the home. At that point dispatchers notified the Campton Volunteer Fire Department and Hazel Green Volunteer Fire Department.

According to Stephens, firefighters were on their way to the home when the explosion happened.

As of Monday afternoon, there is no word on what caused the explosion, but investigators requested gas company employees to shut off gas in the area.

Line technicians are expected to check the main gas line and conduct readings of individual meters.

All donations can be made or dropped off at the Campton Head Start.