Cause of Stockton apartment explosion could be determined as early as Friday
STOCKTON -- Residents at a Stockton apartment complex are still displaced after an explosion on Friday night that investigators say was likely an accident.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Stockton Fire Department said the cause of the explosion would likely be known, and shared publicly, as early as Friday and is still under investigation at this time.
The American Red Cross stepped in and has helped 41 people displaced by the explosion with lodging, financial, and mental health support.
"After people know what they're going to do for the next several days, then they'll start thinking about 'What will I do in the longer term period?' " said Cari Dighton, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross.
Dighton said local volunteers and partnerships with local community groups allowed the Red Cross to address the needs of the Inglewood Gardens residents more quickly in the aftermath of the explosion.
On Tuesday, the caretaker of a disabled senior resident returned to the complex to retrieve the man's walker as a surprise. He's living at a hotel until he's able to move back into his apartment.
"He's a little down in the dumps. Anything you could do to lift his spirit, that's what I was planning on doing to try to help him out," said Earnestine Wilson, a Stockton caretaker.
Security at the apartments, as well as caution tape, signal that no one is allowed to reenter the property. Wilson was not able to retrieve the walker, but CBS13 took her wishes of a surprise to the American Red Cross to find a solution.
Dighton said, in some cases, Red Cross volunteers are able to accompany residents into their homes after events like this, with permission from law enforcement. However, in the case of the walker, Dighton said they partner with volunteer groups to provide medical necessities like glasses or walkers.