Three of five people are hospitalized in critical condition after multiple home explosions Tuesday night in a North Side neighborhood, according to the San Antonio Fire Department.
A University Health spokesperson told KSAT on Wednesday morning one of the three critically injured is a child. The hospital’s trauma unit is treating the child for burns suffered in the first explosion.
Crews responded to the initial fire around 6 p.m. in the 15000 block of Preston Hollow Drive, which is located near Thousand Oaks Drive.
Around 8:30 p.m., however, KSAT crews heard a loud “boom” and saw flames shooting out of a second home nearby.
North East ISD teacher, pastor among those injured
Two adults and one child suffered burns and were hospitalized after the first explosion. Two additional adults were hospitalized as a result of the second explosion.
Three of the five hospitalized are in critical condition, SAFD Chief Valerie Frausto told reporters on Tuesday night.
One of those hospitalized is a teacher at MacArthur High School. A North East Independent School District spokesperson told KSAT that the injured educator is Kimberly Nowell, who teaches math at the school.
Nowell’s husband, Tim, is a pastor at Wayside Chapel, a North Side church located in the 1700 block of Northwest Loop 410.
Among the critically injured is the couple’s teenage daughter, who also attends the school, according to a letter sent Wednesday to MacArthur High school parents and guardians.
“I have already met with our staff to inform them of this tragic situation,” MacArthur High School Principal Joaquin Hernandez wrote in the letter obtained by KSAT. “Additionally, Ms. Nowell’s classes are being supported with the assistance of our counselors and administrative team. Our priority is to ensure students have immediate access to support.”
According to Wayside Chapel, Nowell is a “student pastor” who has served in that ministry for more than 17 years.
Jason Uptmore, the church’s lead pastor, released a statement to KSAT on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are grateful that Tim, Kim, and Ali (the couple’s daughter) are stable,” Uptmore said, in part. “Tim and his family are deeply woven into the fabric of who we are as a church. We recognize that the road ahead will be long, but we are committed to walking with them.”
SAFD’s response
The first fire was extinguished “very quickly” and was likely related to a natural gas buildup, the fire department said.
The first house sustained significant damage and will likely be demolished.
In all, 10 homes along Preston Hollow Drive were evacuated following the explosions, Frausto said.
Road remains closed
San Antonio police said that Preston Hollow Drive will remain closed for at least 24 more hours.
Residents on the opposite side of the street where the explosions happened can walk over and pick up items. However, SAPD said that they cannot drive up to the scene.
Police said the residents on the other side of Preston Hollow Drive are on a different power grid, but the ones where the explosions happened are not.
Temporary shelter available for displaced residents
A temporary shelter has been set up at the Northeast Senior Center at 4135 Thousand Oaks Drive.
CPS Energy said 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. 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.
In a follow-up statement on Wednesday afternoon, the councilman said he is standing “with those affected as they begin the recovery process.”
“We are deeply grateful for the swift and professional response from our first responders, as well as the continued support from the Red Cross, CPS Energy, and the Northeast Senior Center,” Whyte said on Wednesday. “Their efforts have been critical in ensuring public safety and assisting those in need.”
Whyte also said anyone impacted by Tuesday’s explosions are asked to contact the District 10 office.
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.
When the homes were built
Bexar County property records show one of the homes involved in the explosions was built in 1993.
The other home was built in 2000, according to records.
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