Security video shows two flashes and explosions on a front porch late Saturday; no injuries reported.
LAKE ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Police are investigating two small homemade explosives that detonated late Saturday on the front porch of a home on Schmitz Court, shaking houses across the block and startling residents who said the blasts sent smoke across the street and left damage near the doorway.
Authorities said Monday the case remains active as investigators review security video and interview witnesses. The homeowner, Keith Sanders, an assistant principal at Timberland High School, said the explosions struck just after dusk on Saturday, Nov. 15, and left chipped siding, a warped entryway and chemical residue. Sanders said police told him at least two people were taken into custody. He said he believes the devices were made with a two-liter bottle and fertilizer, describing debris he found on the porch after the blasts.
Neighbors reported hearing a deep boom followed by a second blast within moments. “It was so loud the whole neighborhood shook,” Sanders said in an interview outside his home, adding that his family initially thought something inside had failed before realizing the smoke came from the porch. Security video reviewed by the family shows several people running toward the property and sprinting away seconds before two bright flashes. Sanders said he also found broken plastic, a brown sludge he believed to be animal waste and a section of trim knocked loose near the entry. Police marked off the front steps for photographs while canvassing homes for surveillance footage late Saturday and into Sunday.
Lake St. Louis police confirmed the investigation and said formal updates would come once interviews and evidence collection are complete. As of Monday morning, police had not publicly identified suspects or listed charges, and no injuries were reported. Sanders said officers told him two people were in custody and that the group may include students with ties to Timberland High School; investigators have not confirmed that detail. The devices did not set a fire, but siding was chipped and a doorframe appeared warped. The family’s security system recorded multiple flashes consistent with chemical reactions seen in so-called “bottle bombs.”
Lake St. Louis sits in western St. Charles County, about 40 miles from downtown St. Louis. The residential block where the blasts occurred includes split-level homes clustered around a cul-de-sac and narrow lawns. Similar homemade devices have prompted warnings from bomb technicians in the region, who note that improvised mixtures in plastic containers can rupture violently and scatter debris. In past incidents across the St. Louis area, investigators have described low-level explosive devices as unpredictable and capable of causing serious injury at close range. The footage from Schmitz Court shows multiple individuals in hoodies or dark clothing approaching on foot just before the flashes.
Police said the next steps include examining debris, documenting residue, and comparing video timestamps to reported sightings. If charges are filed, they could be processed through St. Charles County, where prosecutors review felony allegations related to explosive devices, tampering and property damage. Investigators also plan to coordinate with school officials as needed. An official update was expected later Monday, Nov. 17, after detectives complete initial interviews and collect additional video. No court filings were publicly available by midafternoon.
On Sunday, tire marks and footprints were visible in the grass leading to the porch steps, where a faint chemical smell lingered. A neighbor who asked to be identified only as Melissa said she ducked after the first boom rattled her windows, then saw smoke drift through the cul-de-sac. “I thought a transformer blew,” she said. Another neighbor pointed to flecks embedded in vinyl siding across the street. Sanders said the blasts happened “within seconds” and that his family took shelter in an interior room until officers arrived.
As of Monday evening, police had not released names of any suspects or a timetable for a charging decision. Detectives were expected to collect more video from homes along Schmitz Court and from nearby intersections before releasing a public summary of the incident.
Author note: Last updated November 17, 2025.