Firefighter Luther Eugene “Gene” Hurd, age 31, of the Kansas City Fire Department, MO, died on November 29, 1988, in an ammonium nitrate and fuel oil mixture explosion on U.S. Highway 71.

Gene was born in Illinois but lived in Kansas City most of his life. He had been a firefighter for the Kansas City Fire Department for more than 10 years. He was a member of Local 42 of the International Association of Fire Fighters and taught CPR for the American Red Cross. He was a 1975 graduate of Northeast High School.

He was survived by his wife, Jewell; his son; two daughters; father; and one sister.