Investigators: Gas Leak Caused ‘Powerful Explosion’ At Northeast Home

El Paso Fire Department investigators tell ABC-7 that a gas leak is the suspected cause of a home explosion that sent three people to the hospital Friday evening.

Emergency crews were called to 10731 Coral Sands in northeast El Paso at around 7 p.m.

Fire Department Spokesman John Concha said flames were shooting through the roof of the two-story home when firefighters arrived. The roof above the living room collapsed minutes later, he said.

The incident commander at the scene told ABC-7 the three people inside the home at the time suffered severe burns, but were “lucid enough to walk on their own.”

Saturday, investigators said the victims include a mother, her teenage son and his girlfriend. All three are now at the Lubbock Burn Center for treatment of 2nd and 3rd degree burns as well as smoke and heat inhalation.

Authorities believe a gas valve was left open in a furnace/water heater closet in the garage, causing the explosion..

Fire officials said all three victims had managed to get outside the house by the time firefighters arrived. The mother, who they said is disabled, was pulled from the home’s garage by a neighbor.

ABC-7 spoke with a witness on the scene, who said he saw the teenage girl after she escaped the burning house.

“She was going, ‘Oh my God, Oh my God,” said the witness.

Firefighters said it took about 40 minutes to get the fire under control from the time dispatchers received the emergency phone call. They said none of the neighboring homes were in harm’s way.