LE SUEUR COUNTY, Minn. (WCCO) — Smoke rose from a gaping hole in the ground in rural Lexington Township, near Le Center in Le Sueur County.
It was all that was left of a home that exploded Friday night. The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office said crews arrived around 11:30 p.m. to a collapsed home on fire. They said the homeowners were gone and a woman was housesitting, caring for the dogs. Her body was found in the basement.
Friends identify her as 20-year-old Kailey Mach. They say she went to Tri-City Union High School in Montgomery and was attending Augsburg University, where she hoped to study elementary education.
Friends identify Kailey Mach as the the 20-year-old woman killed in a home explosion last night in Le Center. They say she went to Augsburg University & wanted to study elementary education.
“Someone who saw the good in everyone.” Latest @WCCO 5:30pmhttps://t.co/SAM9fthA4V pic.twitter.com/Q2KJZaxdor
— Kirsten Mitchell (@Kirsten_TV) February 27, 2022
“She always talked about how she was going to change the world by teaching the next generation,” her friend Shelby said. “She didn’t care if she was having a bad day, if you told her you were upset she wouldn’t rest until she got you to smile.”
She said Kailey was proud of her Czech heritage and loved to dance. The type of friend who always wanted to bring people together.
As investigators work to determine the cause of the blast, the community mourns the loss of a young woman, taken too soon.
Augsburg University officials released this statement Sunday: “The Augsburg University community is deeply saddened by Kailey’s tragic passing this weekend. We offer our profound condolences to her family, friends, professors, classmates, and all who were close to her.”
The Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office are working together to determine the cause of the explosion.
