JPD investigating shed explosion resulting in death

On July 3, at approximately 1:31 p.m., the Joplin Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call reporting an explosion in the 2500 block of South Virginia Avenue. Joplin Police officers and personnel from the Joplin Fire Department responded to the scene, located at 2501 S. Virginia Avenue.

Upon arrival, first responders located two injured individuals. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment. One of the victims, identified as Justin Rankin, age 47, of the home, was later transferred to a hospital in Springfield, Missouri, where he succumbed to his injuries. A juvenile female also sustained injuries and is currently listed in stable condition.

The initial investigation indicates the explosion occurred in a shed on the property. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

The Joplin Police Department is being assisted in this ongoing investigation by the Joplin Fire Department, the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Springfield Fire Department.

Anyone with information related to this incident is urged to contact the Joplin Police Department.