Who was Kailey Mach? 20-year-old dies in house explosion

20-year-old Kailey Mach was found dead in a basement after housesitting while caring for a family’s dogs. The youngster was killed in an explosion that occurred on Saturday in southern Minnesota.

Brett Mason, a Le Sueur County Sheriff, said in a statement that they received a call at 11:25 pm regarding an explosion in Lexington Township, just six miles northeast of Le Center. When firefighters arrived at the residence, they found the house burnt to flames. Fire crews found Kailey Mach’s body after they put out the fire.

Following her daughter’s death, Vicki Bettin Mach shared on Facebook that she was “in bitter shock.” She added:

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Who was Kailey Mach?

The student was a 2019 graduate of Tri-City United High School. Kailey Mach was also crowned Kolacky Days' "Miss Congeniality" in 2018. She received a scholarship to attend Augsburg University in Minneapolis as well, where she studied elementary education.

Kailey was crowned Miss Congeniality at the Kolacky Days pageant (Image via Mach family)

The university released a statement on Sunday following Mach’s death. They said:

“The Augsburg University community is deeply saddened by Kailey’s tragic passing this weekend. We offer our profound condolences to her family, friends, professors, classmates, and all who were close to her.”

Kailey was pursuing her dreams to become a kindergarten teacher (Image via Mach family)

Kailey Mach’s uncle, Tim Siebsen, told KARE 11 that his niece was an employee at TCU schools, where she worked as a KidZone leader. Her love for teaching was observed by many as she worked as a preschool aid in her district.

Siebsen also mentioned that she was very involved with a church group and was preparing for a summer Bible camp, prior to her death. He added:

“She was such a great person to everyone she met. She brought so much light and love to our lives."

Her friend Shelby also said in an interview that Mach was keen about changing the world “by teaching the next generation.” She also added that she was proud of her Czech heritage. Le Center Leader said that she performed with the Domaci Czech Folk Dancers as well.

The LeSueur County Sheriff’s Office and the State Fire Marshall’s Office are investigating the unexpected explosion at the residence.