Natural gas tank explodes, damages business, lands inside Houston

Aug 04, 2023

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FOX 26 Reporter Matthew Seedorff spoke with nearby residents about what happened in Channelview.

CHANNELVIEW, Texas - A large explosion Monday afternoon caused extensive damage to a business and a home in Houston's Channelview neighborhood.

Around 2:30 p.m. Monday Afternoon authorities say a worker at a car wash along Sheldon Road cut a tank of compressed natural gas. The tank blew up and launched into the air, across a neighborhood, and into a home.

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"I heard a big boom," said one worker nearby. "The guy flew a few feet into the air and flew backwards too."

The worker was transported to a local hospital as a precaution, but was released relatively quickly without serious injuries. No one else was injured.

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"I cannot possibly begin to explain how it is he has the minor injuries he has and was able to walk away," said Lt. Mitchell Weston from Harris County Fire Marshal's Office. "He should certainly buy a lottery ticket."

Authorities believe the tank flew roughly 900 feet across a neighborhood before landing in Jose Ortiz's living room. Ortiz had been on the porch at the time, but his kids weren't at the house. The tank ripped a massive hole through the home's roof and living room floor.

"It's a big risk for all of us," said Ortiz. "The people who did big business do not do the precautions."

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