Wahpeton, North Dakota House Explosion Kills One, Injures Two

A Wahpeton, North Dakota house explosion has killed one person, and injured two others on Saturday, August 4, 2018. The tragedy may have been caused by a gas explosion.

The explosion happened in rural Wahpeton along the Wild Rice River, at 17650 – 81^st St. SE, west of 177^th Avenue. 

The person killed in the Wahpeton, North Dakota house explosion has been identified as 84-year-old Mavis Onchuck. The injured people were Cole Defries, 22, and Danielle Faller, 25. They were treated at a hospital and released.

Emergency Manager Brett Lambrecht told the Wahpeton Daily News that the house on the farmstead has been destroyed. 

The North Dakota Fire Marshall’s office is investigating, as is the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dwight Fire Department. A Critical Incident Management Team from Bismarck was sent to the site.

Responding to the emergency, crews from Wahpeton, Mooreton, Dwight, Great Bend, and Breckenridge arrived on the scene to fight the fire.

Wahpeton is less than 50 miles south of Fargo, ND, and less than 30 miles west of Fegus Falls, MN.

Wahpeton, North Dakota House Explosion tragedy

As the Wahpeton, North Dakota House explosion illustrates, lives can be changed or even ended in the blink of an eye. Family members of the people who were killed will want answers, and survivors and their families will need help to put their lives back together.

The Pritzker Hageman law firm has years of experience in representing people whose lives have been changed by fires and explosions. Our attorneys are friendly and compassionate, and highly motivated to defend your legal rights and help you begin to rebuild.

If you are wondering if you might have a legal case, call us for a free consultation. There’s no obligation. We’ll listen, and then give you advice on your legal options. Just call us at 1-888-377-8900. Or fill out the online contact card.

Sources

Stanko, Frank. “BREAKING NEWS: One dead, two survive explosion at rural Wahpeton home.” Wahpeton Daily News Media, August 4, 2018.

Monk, Jim. “Update: Explosion kills one person, destroys home near Wahpeton.” KFGO 790 AM, 94.1 FM Fargo-Moorhead, August 4, 2018.

Ziegler, Tyler. “A look A look at the devastating home explosion in Wahpeton.” WDAYabc, August 6, 2018.