Mother and 2 sons suffer severe burns in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. home explosion
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. -- Crews are totaling up the epic damage in Wappingers Falls, New York on Friday after an explosion and fire destroyed a row of townhomes.
A woman and two of her children remain hospitalized with burns and other injuries suffered in the blast on Thursday.
Four homes still stand on the north side of Brick Row. But a matching set of homes on the south side was reduced to a smoldering pile of wood and brick.
"I was screaming 'Get out! Get out! Get out!' I was crying, it was real emotional. It was scary to see the flames go up and I was scared for the people because I knew that it was going to be tragic," said neighbor Ivette Valez-Butler.
A disruption on Thursday morning, a utility crew working on a gas line, became a life-threatening emergency after an explosion sparked a roaring fire.
Good Samaritans joined first responders trying to reach victims, including Shantelle Whyte and her sons Jeremiah and Elijah.
"[Elijah] has 53% coverage on his body with second and third degree burns and Jeremiah has 12% coverage of second and third degree burns," said Whyte's best friend Shannon McLain.
Whyte lost everything when her home exploded and collapsed.
"I mean, they have the clothes on their backs, that's about it. And even those are ripped and burned," said McLain.
The wide-angle view of the damage is something to behold. A window frame from the home that exploded flew across the street and pierced another window. Other flying debris crunched a mailbox. The intense heat melted a Halloween decoration.
"If you saw the injuries when they came out of here and the catastrophic damage to the building, the fact that no one died is an absolute miracle," said Wappingers Falls Police Commissioner Paul Italiano.
The community is coming together to help residents of the homes that were destroyed. Online campaigns are raising funds and the local PBA is coordinating furniture and clothing donations.
The utility company Central Hudson promised to help those displaced. Some left their damaged, but still standing homes, saying they don't plan on returning.