‘Such good people’: Friends remember 4 Michigan family members who died in a ‘heart-wrenching’ house explosion
ARKANSAS, MICHIGAN: A house explosion in Michigan claimed the lives of four members of a family from Arkansas who were visiting their relatives for the holidays.
Only a 16-year-old boy and his grandfather survived the blast, but they are in serious condition.
Explosion caused by ‘undetermined fuel air explosion’
The Northfield Township Police Department said the explosion occurred on Saturday, December 30, and it was caused by an “undetermined fuel air explosion.”
The blast killed 51-year-old Hope Bragg, her 53-year-old husband Don Bragg, their 19-year-old daughter Elizabeth Bragg, and their 22-year-old son Kenneth Bragg.
Hope’s father, 72-year-old Richard Pruden, and her youngest son, 16-year-old Stephen Bragg, were the only ones who made it out alive. They are both hospitalized with serious injuries.
The condition of Pruden is stated to be critical while Stephen is stable according to Northfield Township Police Department.
Police said they do not suspect foul play, but the investigation is ongoing and “will take time.” They asked the public to stay away from the area and let the investigators do their work.
They also expressed their condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Friends pay tribute to the ‘caring, loving’ family
The family was visiting Pruden for the holidays when the tragedy struck. According to WXYZ, Michigan State Police fire investigators and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping in the investigation to determine what caused the fatal blast.
The explosion scattered pieces of Pruden’s home over two acres, as per the report. “There’s nothing left of the property,” Northfield Township Police Lt David Powell said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Friends of the family are mourning their deaths and remembering them as “such good people.” Northfield Township Supervisor Ken Dignan, who went to high school with Hope, told WXYZ that the 51-year-old mother was one of the smartest people he’s ever known.
“It’s heart-wrenching,” he said, adding “She was a very caring, loving individual." Family friend Matthew Rooney, 40, told the Detroit Free Press he was devastated by the family’s deaths, saying he just kept “imagining their last mommoments.
Two GoFundMe pages raise money for the survivors
Meanwhile, two GoFundMe pages have raised nearly $40,000 to support Stephen and Pruden. “Stephen recently lost his parents, his brother, and his sister in a tragic house explosion,” one organizer wrote in one of the tributes.
“Stephen had severe injuries and faces many months of recovery. I am establishing this fund to cover out-of-pocket funeral and care expenses including regular visits from long-distance family," read a GoFundMe page. The organizer added that any remaining funds will be passed along to Pruden.
The other GoFundMe was set up by a friend of Pruden who said he was “a great man” and “a pillar of the community.” The friend said Pruden was a retired firefighter and a veteran and he needed help with his medical bills and rebuilding his life.
"Rich was severely injured in the explosion, suffering burns, and is in intensive care at the University of Michigan Hospital," he wrote on the fundraiser.
