San Antonio, TX – A natural gas leak is being blamed for a house explosion on the south side that left a family fighting for their lives.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Joseph Aguirre.
Aguirre was walking into his house when he felt the boom and ran to his neighbors to help.
“I was banging on the door trying to get them out,” he said, but all he could see were flames and could only hear his neighbors cries for help.
“She was just yelling my baby is burned,” he said “So we grabbed them and told them they have to get out.”
It was Ernestina Rodriguez’s great grandchildren who were inside.
“They were very badly burned,” she said.
Rodriguez returned Sunday morning to see if anything was still there.
“This is the only thing I found,” she said holding a picture of her relative.
A one-year-old inside was airlifted to Galveston in critical condition and a two-year-old has burns over 30% of her body.
“It’s horrible to see them,” she said. “They’re all wrapped up in bandages.
“My only concern is the kids,” said Charles Luna. “I hope they make it.”
Luna is a neighbor who also ran inside to help.
He’s spent Sunday going through pictures from serving overseas.
The pictures were in a utility truck parked next door that also couldn’t withstand the blast that couldn’t come at a worse time of the year.
“They had already done their Christmas shopping,” said Ernestina. “They don’t even have clothes to wear.”
The family said they’re grateful the kids were able to get alive, but that their heart breaks knowing they will have to spend Christmas in the hospital.