{ "id": "2017-06-28-murray-state-university-new-richmond-gas-explosion", "slug": "murray-state-university-new-richmond-gas-explosion-2017-06-28", "institution": { "name": "Murray State University", "shortName": "MSU", "state": "KY", "type": "public-masters", "alertSystemName": "RacerAlert", "enrollment": 9700 }, "incident": { "date": "2017-06-28", "type": "gas-leak", "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification", "headline": "Natural-gas explosion guts the ground floor of a residence hall during summer break", "headlinePublic": "Natural-gas explosion guts the ground floor of a residence hall during summer break", "summary": "At about 4:53 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, an explosion later [attributed to a natural-gas release tore through New Richmond Residential College](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/explosion-murray-state-university-dorm/) on Murray State University's campus in Murray, Kentucky. The ground floor was gutted and part of the second floor damaged; [one worker, identified as Dakota Fields, 26, of Murray, was injured and ultimately flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center](https://www.wkms.org/society/2017-06-28/murray-state-university-dorm-explosion-gas-leak-reported). Because classes were out for summer break, the residence hall was largely empty and no students were inside.", "outcome": "Kentucky State Police investigated and, after consulting state and federal prosecutors, said the explosion was believed to be related to a natural-gas release and non-criminal in nature. One worker was injured and hospitalized; one additional minor injury was treated at the scene. New Richmond was extensively damaged and removed from service for repairs.", "resolution": "confirmed-threat", "casualties": { "killed": 0, "injured": 2 } }, "alerts": [ { "sequence": 1, "type": "initial", "timestampApprox": "Wednesday evening, shortly after the 4:53 p.m. CDT explosion on June 28, 2017", "channel": "twitter-x", "verbatimText": "There was an explosion at Richmond Hall. Emergency Personnel are on the scene. Stay out of the area.", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "sourceUrl": "https://www.wkms.org/society/2017-06-28/murray-state-university-dorm-explosion-gas-leak-reported", "sourceDescription": "WKMS quoting Murray State University's official Twitter post the evening of the explosion", "annotations": [ "Verbatim from Murray State's official Twitter post; the university referred to the building as 'Richmond Hall,' a shorthand for New Richmond Residential College.", "The alert window matters: the blast struck at 4:53 p.m. CDT during summer break, when New Richmond was nearly empty, a fact repeatedly stressed in coverage as the reason injuries were limited to workers.", "Roughly 500 school-aged summer campers staying on campus were relocated to a safe location after this notice." ], "characterCount": 100 }, { "sequence": 2, "type": "update", "timestampApprox": "Evening of June 28, 2017, after the gas line was secured", "channel": "sms", "verbatimText": "", "isVerbatimConfirmed": false, "sourceDescription": "Reconstructed from Marshall County Daily / WKYT coverage; not verbatim", "annotations": [] } ], "context": "New Richmond Residential College was one of Murray State's residence halls; the [explosion gutted its ground floor and damaged part of the second floor](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gas-explosion-guts-kentucky-university-dorm-building-n777911), with three nearby dorms and a dining hall also sustaining damage. The injured worker, [Dakota Fields, was first taken to Murray-Calloway County Hospital and then flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville](https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Explosion-at-Murray-State-University-dorm-431410153.html). [Kentucky State Police said the preliminary investigation pointed to a natural-gas release and that the incident was believed to be non-criminal](https://www.marshallcountydaily.com/2017/06/28/breaking-explosion-on-campus-of-murray-state-university/). The timing during summer break (when the building was largely vacant) was widely credited with preventing student casualties.", "keyFindings": [ "The 4:53 p.m. CDT explosion gutted the ground floor of New Richmond Residential College; investigators attributed it to a natural-gas release", "Summer break left the hall nearly empty, limiting injuries to one hospitalized worker and one minor injury", "Kentucky State Police, after consulting prosecutors, characterized the blast as non-criminal in nature", "Murray State's initial public notice (verbatim from its official Twitter post) was terse ('There was an explosion at Richmond Hall') while the follow-up RacerAlert SMS text remains reconstructed from secondary reporting" ], "sources": [ { "title": "Explosion from apparent gas leak rips apart dorm at Murray State University - CBS News", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/explosion-murray-state-university-dorm/", "type": "national-media" }, { "title": "Murray State University Dorm Explosion: Gas Leak Reported - WKMS", "url": "https://www.wkms.org/society/2017-06-28/murray-state-university-dorm-explosion-gas-leak-reported", "type": "local-media" }, { "title": "A gas explosion gutted a Kentucky university's dorm building - NBC News", "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gas-explosion-guts-kentucky-university-dorm-building-n777911", "type": "national-media" }, { "title": "One person flown to hospital after explosion at Murray State University - WKYT", "url": "https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Explosion-at-Murray-State-University-dorm-431410153.html", "type": "local-media" }, { "title": "KSP investigating cause of Murray State dorm explosion - Marshall County Daily", "url": "https://www.marshallcountydaily.com/2017/06/28/breaking-explosion-on-campus-of-murray-state-university/", "type": "local-media" } ], "confidence": "medium", "tags": [ "gas-leak", "explosion", "natural-gas", "kentucky", "residence-hall", "summer-break", "emergency-notification" ], "dateAdded": "2026-05-28", "lastUpdated": "2026-05-29", "addedBy": "ingestion" }