Soulard, a historic district in St. Louis, was rocked on Monday by a boiler explosion at the Loy-Lange Box Company. The blast sent debris into the air and then through the roof of Faultless Linen Co., a healthcare linen cleaning company, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Four people died – three at Faultless Linen Co. and one at the Loy-Lange Box Company.
Now, a group of 20 local businesses called the Sons and Daughters of Soulard is stepping up to help. The group set up a GoFundMe page to help families of the victims, reports Fox2Now. Their goal is to raise $100,000 and split it between the families to help with funeral and other costs. As of 4 PM ET on April 7, it is at nearly $11,000.
Among those killed in the blast were Christopher Watkins and Tonya Gonzalez-Suarez, a married couple. They, along with Clifford Lee, who died as a result of his injuries two days after the blast, were new employees at Faultless Linen Co. and were filling out new hire paperwork when the accident occurred. A fourth victim, Kenneth Trentham, was killed at Loy-Lange Box Company.
The outpouring of support is truly appreciated by the family members. “We get all these calls that people want to help us put them away the best that we can and that is more overwhelming than anything else,” said Glenda Gordon, Watkins’ aunt.
To donate to the families, visit the GoFundMe page.
