KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gladstone officials said Monday afternoon that an investigation into Saturday's deadly home explosion continues. However, officials expect the cause will most likely be due to fireworks.
Just before 11:15 a.m. Saturday, the Gladstone Fire Department responded to a single-family residence in the 100 block of NE 74th Terrace.
Crews found the home “collapsed and heavily damaged,” the city said.
Richard Adams Sr. and two dogs were recovered from the rubble. City records state Adams was 84, while family members told KSHB 41 News he was 86.
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In the days since the explosion, the area has been deemed safe for cleanup.
KSHB 41 News took an in-depth look Monday at the explosion site on NE 74th Terrace. All that remains are the dozens of firework remnants scattered among the debris.
Many neighbors heard and saw the explosion on their Ring cameras.
"[There was] more explosions coming, it was more than one," said longtime neighbor Carlos Garcia. "It was like two."
What Garcia most likely heard was dozens of fireworks going off from Adams' basement, according to fire officials. The city said the investigation into the exact cause of the explosion continues, but “preliminary findings suggest the explosion may have involved combustible materials believed to have been stored on-site.”
"We think [the explosion] was solely related to the contents of the home," said Gladstone Fire Chief Mike Desautels.
Desautels explained investigators were able to tell soon after the explosion it wasn't caused by a natural gas line leak. The debris helped indicate it could have come from inside the home.
"If you look at the material on the street, it's not charred," Desautels said. "It wasn't like something was burning inside the home."
Now, neighbors and public works crews are picking up the pieces, trying to get back to normal.
"I was really worried about [Richard]," Garcia said. "We heard he was in the house. It's really sad."
Amid demolition efforts, the city said building inspectors are going door to door to check for possible structural damage to any neighboring homes. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the day Monday.
Unfortunately, Saturday's incident wasn't the first time fireworks in the metro have led to fatalities. A Raytown explosion in 2021 was caused by illegal fireworks, killing one person.
"[Fireworks] are very, very dangerous if not used properly and if they're not constructed properly," said Gladstone Mayor Les Smith.
Smith shared a message of warning at Monday's press conference ahead of the summer holidays. Having fireworks in city limits is illegal.
"When I was a little boy, my father was mayor. My best friend, Trent, had his thumb blown off by an M-80," Smith said. "We've had a fireworks ban in Gladstone ever since, and shooting fireworks off in Gladstone is prohibited."
Owning or setting off fireworks within city limits is a municipal ordinance violation.
Gladstone is providing dumpsters for neighbors cleaning up and expects crews to stay out there until the job is done. The city is asking anyone who does not live in the area to avoid the site until cleanup is complete.
"It's our community," Garcia said.
City officials expect the explosion and subsequent cleanup will cost the city at least $20,000.
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KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne covers issues surrounding government accountability and solutions. Share your story with Isabella.
