SAN ANTONIO – Two natural gas-fueled house explosions that sent five people, including a child, to the hospital are now under investigation as residents on San Antonio’s Northeast Side return to a neighborhood left shaken and searching for answers.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were in the neighborhood Thursday examining what caused the explosions along Preston Hollow Drive near Thousand Oaks Drive.
Emergency crews first responded Tuesday just after 6 p.m. to reports of a house explosion and fire. A second explosion occurred two hours later while firefighters and media were at the scene.
Five people were hospitalized, including a child. Those hospitalized include a Wayside Chapel student minister, his wife, a math teacher at MacArthur High School, and their daughter.
Two days after the blasts, residents said returning home has been unsettling, and many are focused on whether it is safe. Jamie Alvarado, who lives two homes away from the original explosion and has a newborn, said she wants clearer information before feeling comfortable.
“I have a three-month-old daughter and I don’t want to bring her back into the home if it’s not safe. I would like more like direct answers on what had happened and how safe my home is,” Alvarado said.
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Longtime resident John Young said the situation has been difficult to process and that he worries about the possibility of another explosion, especially because his home uses natural gas for the water heater.
“It’s like you’re in a bad dream. It’s still hard to believe that it even happened,” Young said.
Young also said a line runs behind his fence in an easement and that he wants assurances from investigators and the utility.
“We have a line that runs behind our fence but we have such a big backyard hopefully it’s so far out we don’t have to worry about it but that’s the assurance I want from CPS or NTSB that they knew what caused it and the situation has been handled and taken care of,” he said.
Another major concern for Young and others is who determined it was safe for families to return after the first explosion. Young said fire officials told residents it was safe to go back inside, but then the second blast happened.
“it’s worry some that they said we can be back in our house and then that house explodes like that,” Young said.
The San Antonio Fire Department directed questions about that decision to CPS Energy. CPS Energy then referred questions to the NTSB, saying the federal agency is leading the investigation and would be the agency to answer them. The NTSB said it does not make that determination.
The NTSB said its investigation includes a thorough review of pipeline systems and equipment, maintenance records, witness statements and more. The agency said no cause has been determined and no conclusions are being made at this time. A preliminary report is expected in about 30 days.