SAN ANTONIO – At least five people were hospitalized and part of a North Side neighborhood was evacuated after two home explosions on Tuesday, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.
Crews responded to the initial fire around 6 p.m. in the 15000 block of Preston Hollow Drive, near Thousand Oaks Drive.
One child and two adults suffered burns and were hospitalized after the first explosion. Two adults were hospitalized as a result of the second explosion.
Three of the people hospitalized are in critical condition, SAFD Chief Valerie Frausto said Tuesday night.
The North East Independent School District confirmed to KSAT on Wednesday morning that among the injured is a MacArthur High School teacher.
SAFD said the first fire was extinguished “very quickly” and was likely related to a natural gas buildup. The first house sustained significant damage and will likely be demolished.
Around 8:30 p.m., KSAT crews heard a loud “boom” and saw flames shooting out of a second home nearby.
Ten homes on Preston Hollow Drive were evacuated, Frausto said.
A temporary shelter has been set up at the Northeast Senior Center at 4135 Thousand Oaks Drive. CPS Energy says its Customer Response Unit will be available at the shelter to answer questions starting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
CPS Energy said it shut off power in the area to keep customers safe. As of 6 a.m. on Wednesday, outages are affecting five customers in the area. Click here for the latest update on power outages.
In a statement Tuesday night, District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, whose district includes Preston Hollow Drive, said, “CPS will work with all displaced people on hotel costs.”
“Any displaced residents should call our office tomorrow and we will help them be reimbursed,” Whyte said.
If anyone thinks they smell gas in their homes, CPS Energy said they should leave their house immediately and call CPS Energy at 210-353-HELP (4357) or 911.
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