Investigators determined a gas leak caused the explosion at a Chino Hills home that injured several people, including children, over the weekend.
The Chino Valley Fire District announced on Tuesday the cause of the destructive explosion. It’s unclear what caused the gas leak to happen.
As a result of the blast, eight people were hospitalized. Four people were taken to a hospital by medical personnel and four others transported themselves to nearby hospitals. The severity of their injuries was not disclosed, but officials described it as “varying.”
The explosion was reported at 3:44 p.m. Sunday along Sierra Vista Drive in Chino Hills, according to authorities. Due to the explosion, 16 homes nearby were temporarily evacuated while gas crews shut down gas in the immediate area to respond to the scene. The leak was stopped at 10:45 p.m. later that day and residents who weren’t affected by the blast were allowed to return home at about 11 p.m.
Alexis Yrigoyen, who lives in the area, described the immediate aftermath as chaotic.
“It was just car alarms, half the house was gone,” Yrigoyen said. “The fire hadn’t started yet, but people were already evacuating from the house. Crying, screaming, freaking out because there were still people inside. Just kind of chaos. Then, the fire started… It was pretty surreal.”
An explosion at a Chino Hills neighborhood left at least eight people injured. Lauren Coronado reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on Nov. 17, 2025.
Monica Kelly, who lives just a block away from the home that exploded, said she jumped into action to help those who were hurt.
“We pulled up and there were kids everywhere crying and screaming,” Kelly said. “I said, ‘What can I do.’ I said, ‘Put them in the car.’
Authorities have not said if those who were injured by the explosion have been released from the hospital.