Madison County explosion leaves family of five injured and without a home

Five occupants of a Madison County house managed to escape with their lives after it exploded Monday, but all suffered burns and other serious injuries, relatives of the family said.

The five were sleeping at about 1:45 a.m. when the explosion occurred in the 3300 block of Fairmont Avenue in State Park Place, an unincorporated neighborhood just west of Collinsville.

The all-brick house was leveled and its contents were destroyed.

Family members identified those who were injured. They include homeowners Jacinto Gonzalez, 39, and Odilia Rodriguez, 36, and their children, Ashlei Fonseca, 18, Gresia Gonzalez, 11, Luis Antonio Gonzalez, 7.

The youngest of the victims was transported to a hospital in Indiana with severe burns, said the boy’s aunt, Yasmin Giles, of Granite City. His 18-year-old sister required surgery for a broken back and the others are being treated for serious burns, she said.

“The 11-year-old has burns around her body. My sister is very injured. She has burns all around her body and also has a lot of injuries,” said Giles, a resident of Granite City and sister of the adult woman. “Her husband has burns all around his body.

“It’s very bad. Everybody is seriously burned and have injuries. They lost everything they had – their home, clothing, family memories. We need lots of prayers and donations from anyone who is willing to help us.”

J.C Futz, public information officer for the Illinois State Fire Marshal, said an investigation is ongoing and no other information is being provided.

Samantha Romero, who lives directly across the street from the home and said she was awakened by the explosion, said her aunt and uncle had complained to Ameren Illinois about the smell of gas in the house.

“This could have been prevented,” Romero said. “They had trouble smelling gas in the house. They kept complaining to the gas company. They came out and kept saying everything was OK.”

Through tears, Romero described her aunt and uncle as the kind of people who “would help anybody in any way they could. She and other relatives have established a GoFundMe page to help the displaced family.

The campaign’s organizer, Evangelina Gonzalez, wrote: “Our hearts are broken for a family of five who tragically lost their home and belongings in a devastating house fire caused by a gas leak. In the early hours, they were awakened by the unthinkable – their home engulfed in flames. While they all managed to escape, each family member is now in critical condition, fighting for their lives in different hospitals, and undergoing urgent surgeries. They have lost everything. We’re reaching out to our community to rally around them in this desperate time of need. Your generous donations will directly support their medical expenses, recovery, and help them begin to rebuild their lives. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a significant difference.”

This story was originally published June 30, 2025 at 6:36 PM.