Neighbor says she reported gas odor hours before deadly Twentynine Palms explosion
TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA (KESQ) — A neighbor says she reported a strong natural gas odor to SoCalGas hours before a home in Twentynine Palms exploded Friday night, raising new questions as investigators work to determine what caused the deadly blast.
The explosion happened Friday, Aug. 21, in the 6400 block of Ocotillo Avenue. San Bernardino County firefighters said three adults and a dog were inside the home when the explosion occurred. One person was killed, while two others were hospitalized with injuries.
A neighbor who lives near the home told News Channel Three that she first noticed the smell Friday morning.
“It was that Friday morning at about 9:30 in the morning. I was outside in my backyard with my friend, and we smelled gas — real strong waves of the gas,” she said.
She said she then made an emergency call to the gas company to report the odor. According to the neighbor, a SoCalGas worker responded to the area.
It is not yet clear what the SoCalGas worker found during that visit or whether the reported odor was connected to Friday night’s explosion. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
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