WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Dozens of people attended the funeral for three members of the same family who died from a home explosion.
Friends and family remembered, Albert Vanderpool, 80; his son, Phillip, 52; and his wife, Sueann, 48.
Travis Perskins, a close family friend and best friend of Phillip Vanderpool said, "Folks need to learn what good folks these people were. They were honest, they didn't do anybody wrong, always wanted to help."
Phillip and Sueann Vanderpool were doing just that on Saturday, Nov. 23 at his father, Albert's home.
Someone called dispatch complaining of an odor of gas twice that day. Hours later, as firefighters were heading back to the house, it exploded killing Phillip and Sueann.
Albert died two days later from his injuries.
Emergency management officials told LEX 18 the week of the blast that the gas company had checked on the home in the morning, then left. The cause of the blast is still under investigation.
The couple had two grown sons and a grandson born last summer.
Perkins said, "I'm just so sad that their grandson isn't going to know what a great grandmother and grandfather they had."
Perkins, who was a pallbearer today, worked with Phillip Vanderpool for years at the prison in West Liberty before both retired. He said, "If you look up the word friend, him, Sueann and Albert would all be there."
