Carmen Hermosillo worked at the Sandman Signature Hotel. Her family tells WFAA she suffered broken ligaments, a head injury and fractures in the explosion.
FORT WORTH, Texas — It was the image of a rescue seen around the world.
In the aftermath of an explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel in Downtown Fort Worth last Monday, first responders pulled a woman covered in dust from the rubble.
The woman, visibly distressed as she was rescued, is Carmen Hermosillo of Fort Worth. Hermosillo was an employee at the hotel, her family says.
Edwin Diaz, her nephew who lives in Houston, said the family was overwhelmed to learn their loved one was involved in the blast.
“It shocked me,” Diaz said in an interview with WFAA. “It’s a lot of emotions… the thought that she could’ve been gone.”
Hermosillo was among the 21 people injured by the explosion. Her family told WFAA she was trapped underneath the hotel for two hours until rescuers found her unconscious.
“It has taken a toll on her physically, mentally, emotionally,” Diaz said.
Hermosillo, who has been in and out of the hospital since the explosion, is swollen and in pain. Her family told WFAA she suffered broken ligaments, a head injury, fractures and lost teeth.
“She says anytime she has a headache or back pain, she says she can’t handle it,” Diaz said.
Hermosillo, who was uninsured when the explosion occurred, is in need of financial help, her family said.
They’ve started a GoFundMe to help her cover medical bills and provide for her six children.
While Fort Worth fire officials say they’re still confident natural gas played a role in the explosion, the exact cause is still under investigation.
On Tuesday, Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis told WFAA he expects the investigation will move slowly.
“It will be slow and methodical to make sure that it’s safe and that it’s thorough,” Davis said.
Another victim from the explosion, 27-year-old Maite Karen Lopez, who goes by “Yami,” has been upgraded by Parkland Health from critical to serious condition. Her family has also started a GoFundMe. Those who wish to donate to help pay for her medical bills can do so by visiting here.
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