House Explosion
CORPUS CHRISTI - Three people died Thursday when an explosion blew apart a home in Corpus Christi.
Police Capt. John Houston said the bodies of a 45-year-old woman, her 14-year-old daughter and the woman's 52-year-old boyfriend were found in the rubble. Another adult and a teen who had access to the home were accounted for late Thursday.
Houston said the investigation continued into the cause of the explosion but they were "leaning" toward it being an accident.
He said family members said the residents "were doing some remodeling and were complaining of gas leaks." He said propane tanks at the residence also were being looked at.
Houston said debris was found about two blocks away. He said the explosion "pretty much leveled the whole place" and shattered windows in other homes nearby.
Witnesses told police that the explosion blew the roof 30 to 35 feet above the tree line.
A portion of the roof sat on the top of a truck in the driveway. The walls were blown out and items from the home ended up across the street.
Julie Doyle at Mike Doyle Custom Surf Boards said the blast shook the whole shop.
"My husband and I ran into the street. It was raining debris," she said in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. "My first instinct was that a plane went down. Debris was raining down like it was 9-11. I have house insulation in my parking lot."
Houston said samples would be taken from the house Friday to test for anything incendiary.
The bodies of the victims were sent to the medical examiner's office for identification. Houston said dental records would be needed to make positive identifications.
