HOUSTON – Two women and an 8-month-old boy were critically burned in a house explosion in Montgomery County.
Debris spanned hundreds of feet and nearby residents say they felt their own houses shake when the home exploded.
The explosion happened shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday morning at a residence near FM 1486 and Highway 105 in Dobbin, northwest of Conroe.
"It's like shock. This home has been in our family for 60 years," said Phyllis Hamilton.
She can't believe her late mother's home is gone. And her sister is fighting for her life.
"They went to light the stove and it blew up," Hamilton told Local 2.
She says her sister, 65-year-old Lena Knight and sister-in-law 57-year-old Jennifer Mock along with Jennifer's 8-month-old grandson were critically injured. They were making breakfast and turned on the stove fueled by propane.
"We have a debris field. It's about 300 feet wide. We have parts of the home scattered and in the trees; all of that is consistent with a gas explosion," said Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams.
The sound and vibration of the explosion was felt more than ten miles away, in Lake Conroe and Willis. Across the street several homes are damaged from the force of the blast.
"It scared me. I thought we were going to war," said Nikki Pollard.
Her attention was focused across the street, but when she turned to her home she couldn't believe her eyes.
"I have no windows, all the metal stuff is buckled, blown out," Pollard said. "Everything off the walls, off the shelves."
It was minor damage compared to three who suffered second and third degree burns.
The two women were airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital with life-threatening injuries and burns. The baby was flown to University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston with critical burns and injuries. We understand Jennifer Mock is injured the worst with burns covering 80 percent of her body.
A spokesperson for Memorial Hermann Hospital said both women remained in critical condition Tuesday night. A relative said the 8-month-old boy was also in critical condition.
Friends and family held a prayer service near the Wal Mart in Montgomery Tuesday night. Relative, Krista Borders, said "The prayer is to have no pain. To have hopefully full recovery. The Lord's will will be done."
Investigators with the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office and the Railroad Commission of Texas are investigating. Officials believe the explosion resulted from a buildup of flammable gases in or around the home, but an exact cause of the explosion has not been determined.