Missouri, January 23: Siblings, aged 4 and 6, were told to stay at home after their school classes were suspended due to frigid conditions in the US state of Missouri on Friday, January 19. The brothers, described as 'sweetest little boys' by neighbours, were spending a rare weekday at their house when it exploded, killing both of them. The deaths of four-year-old Julian Keiser and his six-year-old brother Jamison have sent shockwaves across the city of Defiance in Missouri.

The boys' mother, Evelyn Turpiano, and grandparents, Jennifer Ham and Vern Ham, narrowly escaped the inferno, according to the concerned officials and a GoFundMe page established for the grieving family. US House Blast: House in Arlington Explodes After Police Attempt To Execute Search Warrant (Watch Videos).

Rescue operations were impeded by the ferocity of the blaze, even though firemen and police responded quickly, arriving on the site minutes after the reported explosion. In a last-ditch effort to find the young boys, firefighters allegedly broke through a window and entered the burning residence. Because they were unable to get to them in time, Jamison and Julian were discovered to be dead.

Investigations are underway to determine what caused the explosion and the ensuing fire. Mooresville House Blast: One Dead, Another Injured After Explosion Erupts at Home Owned by NFL Player Caleb Farley in US (Watch Video).

A GoFundMe campaign was created in reaction to the tragic incident, and as of Monday, it had received over $145,000 in donations. "If you ever met the boys at the Defiance Roadhouse, the Christmas Festival, or the St. Patty's Day parade, you will never forget their enthusiasm for life and the joy they brought to all around them", read the fundraiser post.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2024 12:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).