Two explosions force evacuations near Thousand Oaks, 5 hurt

SAN ANTONIO — A north San Antonio neighborhood remains shaken Wednesday after two explosions hours apart injured five people, damaged multiple homes and forced evacuations near Thousand Oaks Drive.

Officials say investigators are focusing on a possible gas leak as the cause.

The first blast happened around 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Preston Hollow neighborhood, leaving three people injured with burns, including a child. Then, around 8:15 p.m., a second explosion struck a home two doors down, injuring two more people believed to be a man and woman.

Authorities say all five victims were taken to the hospital, and initial reports indicated they were in critical condition.

After the second explosion, officials ordered evacuations for about 20 nearby homes as a safety precaution. City leaders say around 10 homes were directly impacted, with several sustaining heavy damage.

When asked whether evacuations should have happened sooner, San Antonio Fire Department Chief Frausto said gas leaks can be difficult to detect.

“You know, when these things happen, when there’s a gas leak, very hard to detect,” Frausto said. “Especially under these conditions, sometimes there’s no odor.”

The neighborhood remained blocked off Wednesday morning as SAFD crews monitored conditions and CPS Energy worked to determine where the suspected gas leak began and how far it may have spread.

Power was also shut off overnight in the area, impacting more than 180 customers, though service later appeared restored.

CPS Energy released this statement:

“Our crews worked overnight to ensure the safety of the area and we continue to investigate the cause of last night’s explosions. Power was shut off in the area to keep customers safe. Currently, 5 customers remain in this outage.

Our Customer Response Unit was in the neighborhood last night and at the temporary shelter set up at the NorthEast Senior Center to assist customers whose power was out. This team will be available for customers at the NorthEast Senior Center, 4135 Thousand Oaks Drive beginning at 8:30 a.m. Our Customer Response Unit will be there to assist with any questions customers have and to assist with temporary shelter.

As a reminder, if anyone ever thinks they smell gas in their homes, they should always leave the house immediately and call CPS Energy at 210-353-HELP (4357) or 911. The safety of our customers is our priority as we conduct this work and we appreciate their understanding.”

Residents unable to return home were directed to the Northeast Senior Center, where the American Red Cross, city officials and District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte were providing food and resources.

Officials say some residents tried to re-enter homes to retrieve pets and belongings, but crews warned the area was still unsafe.

The investigation continues as families wait to learn when they can return home.