Law enforcement had released the identity of the woman killed in an accident south of Attica Saturday.
At approximately 4:03 p.m. Saturday, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of an explosion that had occurred at 2079 180th Ave. south of Attica. It was reported that a female had been seriously injured in the explosion. Local fire departments, emergency medical services, and law enforcement responded to the scene, where 56-year-old Pamela Kreimeyer was pronounced deceased. The investigation determined that a gender reveal announcement resulted in the explosion which caused a flying piece of debris to strike the victim.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation showed that members of the Kreimeyer family were experimenting with different types of explosive material on Friday and Saturday in an attempt to record a gender reveal that could be posted on social media for friends and family. On Saturday afternoon, five family members and the expectant mother gathered and placed gunpowder in the bottom of a homemade stand that was welded to a metal base plate. A hole had been drilled in the side for a fuse, a piece of wood was placed on top of the gunpowder and colored powder was placed on top of the board. Tape was then wrapped over the top of the metal tubing, inadvertently creating a pipe bomb. Instead of the gunpowder shooting the powder out the top of the stand, the stand itself exploded, sending metal pieces flying. One of those struck Pamela Kreimeyer in the head, causing instant death, according to police. She was standing with other family members approximately 45 feet from the device. It’s believed the projectile that struck the victim continued another 144 yards through the air before coming to rest in a field. This incident remains under investigation. Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt in a statement says
“This family got together for what they thought was going to be a happy event with no intent for anyone to get hurt. What ended up happening was that Pamela Kreimeyer, a wife, mother and grandmother was killed by a piece of metal where a metal stand, gunpowder and colored powder were involved. This is a reminder that anytime someone mixes these things there is a high potential for serious injury or death; please do not take these unnecessary risks. My condolences go out to the family.”
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Indiana Township Fire Department, the Knoxville City Fire and Rescue, and the Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office.