Caitlin Emma Photo
The gas company stopped by Tania Bermudez’s house Tuesday to make sure her home won’t explode. Meanwhile, her 9‑year-old autistic son asked his therapist if his family should buy more fire extinguishers.
That was a fragment of the fallout from the dramatic explosion and collapse of a Howard Avenue home on Saturday morning, as firefighters and gas company representatives fanned out in the Hill neighborhood.
Bermudez (pictured above) lives at 306 Howard Ave., directly across the street from the home that collapsed.
Fire Chief Michael Grant announced Tuesday afternoon that a gas leak caused the explosion Saturday at 305 Howard Ave. Grant spoke at a press conference held at the fire station on Grand Avenue. He said the gas leak stemmed from somewhere inside the house, but officials are still investigating the cause of the leak. The explosion occurred after an electrical outage in the neighborhood. The power went out two hours before the explosion; in that time gas filled the basement at 305 Howard. When the power went back on, the furnace kicked back on — and the house exploded.
The explosion rattled the Hill neighborhood. Miraculously, the three adults and two children inside all survived. (Click here to read about it.)
Bermudez said she was in her bedroom Saturday when she heard the explosion. She ran to the front of the house and saw the single-family home across the street completely engulfed in flames.
“I have never seen anything like this,” Bermudez said. “My nephew said he could hear the people inside yelling. My kids are traumatized. It was horrible.”
Bermudez said she doesn’t know the family who lived in the house. The explosion scared everyone and sort of brought the neighborhood together, she said.
“Let’s just say I’ve met a lot of my neighbors since Saturday!” she said.
“I’m just glad everyone got out safe,” said Moises Bermudez, Tania’s husband.
Marlena Santos Photo
The family at 305 Howard was on the second floor when the explosion happened, Grant said.
“The walls blew out, the ceiling caved in and everyone dropped to the first floor,” he said. The family escaped through an opening in the back of the collapsed structure.
Firefighters and representatives from Southern Connecticut Gas have been out on Howard Avenue checking on neighboring houses, Grant said.
Bermudez said someone from Southern Connecticut Gas came to check her basement Tuesday morning; she hasn’t met any firefighters yet. She’s still rattled and hopes the gas leak isn’t a bigger problem than first suspected, she said.
Grant said the gas leak was an isolated incident. The department is digging up the street anyway to test the pressure of the gas pipelines just in case. The gas company has checked all the surrounding homes, too, he said.
Representatives from Southern Connecticut Gas could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters and representatives from Southern Connecticut Gas have been out on Howard Avenue checking on neighboring houses, Grant (pictured) said.
Bermudez said someone from Southern Connecticut Gas came to check her basement Tuesday morning; she hasn’t met any firefighters yet. She’s still rattled and hopes the gas leak isn’t a bigger problem than first suspected, she said.
Grant said the gas leak was an isolated incident. The department is digging up the street anyway to test the pressure of the gas pipelines just in case. The gas company has checked all the surrounding homes, too, he said.
Representatives from Southern Connecticut Gas could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon.