San Benito, TX – SAN BENITO An explosion and fire injured nine people at a house on the outskirts of San Benito Christmas morning.
All of the injured, who range in age from 1 to about 66, were taken to local hospitals, Cameron County Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Hushen said.
At least four are in critical condition.
Most of the injured suffered burns of different degrees. But some were cut by flying glass when a window exploded, Hushen said.
Some of the victims were airlifted to a hospital, he said.
He said he believed they are all from one extended family.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
But Hushen said the explosion may have been sparked from a propane leak.
Investigators were still combing through the debris late this afternoon.
Preliminarily, it looks like a propane leak, Hushen said.
We’re looking at the kitchen to see if there was a leak from the stove.
Firefighters were called to the scene in the 1600 block of Calle San Pedro near Calle San Andres about 10:50 a.m. today.
Fire trucks and ambulances responded from San Benito, Harlingen and Brownsville.
About half of the brick home was destroyed.
Debris from the explosion littered the front yard this afternoon.