Gainesville Home Destroyed in Gas Explosion - KTEN.com - No One Gets You Closer

Gainesville Home Destroyed in Gas Explosion

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By Erin Jones, Reporter - email

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GAINESVILLE, TX--- An explosion in Gainesville destroyed one home and caused residents of six surrounding homes to evacuate after high levels of natural gas were detected.

The explosion happened around 7 a.m. on the corner of Tennie and Weaver streets. Before the explosion, a work crew had been working in the area to repair a water line when authorities say they noticed the gas leak. 

"We checked the natural gas levels and due to a high level of natural gas in the sewer vents we did perform some evacuations," Atmos Energy spokesperson Jennifer Ryan said.  

A total of seven homes were evacuated and authorities say just moments later one of the homes caught fire and exploded.

"Police and fire responded and sectioned off and continued to evacuate a one and two block area," Gainesville City Manager Barry Sullivan said.

 Greg Burtram lives eight blocks away and says the explosion rocked his house.

"I was standing in the kitchen talking to one of my daughter-in-laws and having a cup of coffee when I heard the explosion. It rattled the windows and rattled the dishes in the cabinet," Burtram said.

"I really thought it was an 18 wheeler, then I stepped outside and saw it wasn't," neighborhood resident Victor Fundora said.

Firefighters say the home was engulfed in flames when they arrived and that is a total loss. City officials say the explosion could've been much worse.

"No one was hurt during this event or during the city or utility response," Sullivan said.  

By around 2 p.m. families were allowed back into their homes. Atmos has since restored gas and electricity to most of the homes in the area.

However, some of the home's gas services were not able to be restored. Some residents received a blue tag from Atmos indicating that a technician need to come out to restore gas services.

Water was restored to the impacted homes around 7 p.m. So far, there are no specifics on what caused the explosion at the home. Atmos Energy representatives say they are still investigating.