1 injured in Hempstead house explosion on Christmas night

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – A Hempstead man was injured Thursday night in a house explosion, officials said.

At approximately 10:20 p.m. Thursday, fire crews from the Hempstead Fire Department were sent to a residence at 1300 Block 13th Street, according to reports of an explosion. Upon arrival, units found the house badly damaged and on fire. Teams quickly put out the flames.

One person was injured in the blast. Paramedics treated the victim at the scene before transporting the person via Life Flight to a hospital in the area.

Preliminary information suggests that the individual had come to the residence to pick up clothes. When he opened the door, there was “some kind of explosion,” said Dean Hensley, an investigator in the office of Waller County Fire Commissioner.

A local man said his uncle was the one injured in the blast.

“My uncle’s house exploded,” Luis Saucedo said. “I just got here and I knew what it was like and I was very worried because my uncle lived there, my grandmother lives behind the house and my parents live in front. I really don’t know what happened, I just got to that. ”.

Saucedo said his uncle suffered severe burns.

“My uncle is pretty burned out,” Saucedo said. “It simply came to our notice then. They blew it up and all that, but everyone does pretty well. “

Firefighters from Waller’s County Fire Commissioner’s Office are at the site working to determine the cause of the blast.

“We’re measuring debris,” Hensley said, “we’re looking at debris, we’re taking pictures, talking to witnesses, so you know it’ll take us a while to put it all together.”

A GoFundMe account has been created to help the family. Click here if you want to donate.