Natural Gas Leak Blamed for St. Louis County House Explosion

St. Louis Co., Mo. (KFMO) - Investigators say a natural gas leak caused Monday’s house explosion in St. Louis County.

Detectives with the regional bomb and arson unit ruled out criminal activity and confirmed no evidence of a meth lab was found, despite rumors circulating online. The blast destroyed five homes, damaged about 20 others, and left five people injured. An 18-year-old man remains in critical condition.

Special operations officers have been patrolling the area to prevent looting while recovery continues.