An explosion in southeast Dallas left one man with severe burns and his family homeless.
It happened on Thanksgiving night in the 6700 block of Wofford Drive.
A neighbor's surveillance camera captured the momentary explosion that shook the Urbandale neighborhood.
The Escobar family was cooking in the kitchen when they heard what sounded like a bomb.
“Everything was blown away,” homeowner Vanessa Escobar said.
The seven members of the family escaped largely unharmed, but a friend, Francisco Gorostieta, 34, suffered severe burns.
He was in the Escobar family's guesthouse behind his home when the explosion blew the roof off.
Friends say he doesn't remember anything before he was pulled from the rubble.
“He was just in shock. He didn't know what to say. He didn't speak at all. He didn't know what happened,” said Escobar's daughter Kaylee. said.
Gorostieta remains in the burn unit at Parkland Hospital, where he is being treated for second-degree burns to his face, chest, arms and back, friends said.
A GoFundMe account has been started to help with his medical expenses.
The force of the explosion also damaged a neighboring house.
“Almost every window was blown out,” neighbor Michael Polk said. “Televisions fell over, pictures fell off the walls. It was looted in a way.”
Polk and others who live along Wofford Drive said Atmos Energy crews were on the scene for hours on Thanksgiving night. The Escobars said the cause of the explosion was not yet known.
“Nobody contacted me,” Escobar said.
Atmos Energy released the following statement to NBC 5:
On November 23rd, Atmos Energy's highly trained technicians responded to a call to Wofford Drive in Dallas at the request of Dallas Fire Rescue. Investigation confirmed that the system is working properly. We found no evidence that our system was involved. Our hearts go out to those injured and affected by this event. We continue to assist Dallas Fire Rescue and all personnel with the investigation.
A Dallas Fire Rescue spokesperson said investigators are still working to determine the potential cause.
The Escobars said their focus remains on Francisco's health and finding a safe place to stay.
They have set up a GoFundMe account to help with temporary living expenses until they learn more from their insurance company.
