SAN ANTONIO – Specifics are still in short supply on what led to a pair of North Side home explosions, even as the city discusses how to improve its next emergency response.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the natural gas-fueled explosions of two houses on Preston Hollow Drive on April 21, which sent five residents to the hospital and injured a CPS Energy employee.
At least two of the residents, Timothy and Kimberly Nowell, were still at Brooke Army Medical Center as of Monday, a hospital spokesman confirmed.
The NTSB released its initial findings on the explosions on May 21, but council members heard Monday the full investigation could take 12 to 24 months.
City and CPS Energy officials pointed to the ongoing investigation as the reason they had to stay tight-lipped on specifics Monday while discussing the city’s response to the tragedy and to emergencies in general.
CPS Energy has also been reticent because of ongoing litigation. The Nowells and their neighbors in the other damaged home, Jose Ochoa and Mayte Terrie Reeves, have filed lawsuits over the blast. The utility has responded with general denials in both cases, but no court dates have been set so far.
Preston Hollow Homeowners Association Secretary Tony Flores told council members during the meeting that locals want “transparency, accountability, communication and a clear plan forward to restore confidence in our neighborhood.”
“Houses don’t blow up. There are safe havens, a place for rest, a place to relax and feel safe,” he said.
Councilman Marc Whyte (D10) represents the area and called the meeting with the help of Councilwoman Teri Castillo (D5) and Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito (D7).
Whyte doesn’t think there was enough clear and unified communication following the explosions.
“My office was on the ground trying to get as much information to the neighborhood as possible, but as was stated earlier, there were some questions that we just couldn’t answer,” he said. “Who was in charge? Who was talking to residents from the city? Who was handling the coordination between all of the different agencies that were involved?"
Council discussion included how the city responds to emergencies in general, but city legal staff shut down some of Whyte’s more specific questions about the Preston Hollow incident, such as when he asked if there had been a point person coordinating the agencies “during those days and weeks after the event.”
“Chief, if you would, please,” Deputy City Attorney Debbie Klein interjected before San Antonio Fire Chief Valerie Frausto could respond. “So that goes into the part of the NTSB investigation that we’re not able to discuss at this point in time. That will be part of their final report."
Just over a minute later, she jumped in again when Whyte asked about who was supposed to be telling residents in the days following the explosion that they could return to their homes.
Whyte appeared pleased, though, that city staff appeared ready at the end of the meeting to incorporate a similar, localized emergency scenario into annual training at the emergency operations center, including the role of the local council office and how it fits into communication and support for family members.
“We have never really discussed what the chain of command should be or how operations would differ from just a neighborhood-centric tragedy like this one,” he told reporters later. “And so that’s going to be a part of the presentation this year, and I think that’s going to be very valuable.”
Flores told reporters that a lot of what he heard during Monday’s meeting had been directed toward actions for after an incident, “which would be great,” but he and his neighbors also want to ensure their neighborhood is safe.
“And until we get the final investigation, we won’t know the answer to that,” he said.
A CPS Energy official said residents who believe they smell gas can call 911 and the utility (210-353-HELP), which has a 30-minute average response time.
Dead grass can also be a sign of a minor leak, even if you don’t smell it, she said.
The utility also says to call 811 48 hours before digging so underground gas lines can be marked.