Fort Worth explosion investigation slowed, not stopped by order against removing debris

The official investigation into how a downtown Fort Worth building exploded on Jan. 8 has been slowed by a temporary restraining order related to a lawsuit filed by a survivor.

The injunction comes from a civil court in Dallas, where restaurant employee José Mira is suing the Sandman Signature Hotel, property owner and gas company Atmos Energy for injuries and damages from the explosion, according to court documents. Mira’s attorneys hope the temporary restraining order, which prevents authorities from removing debris until at Feb. 2, will give them time to bring in an independent investigator.

It could take months for the city’s investigators to complete their final report.

Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis told the Star-Telegram that while the court order prevents investigators from excavating the site, the department is using the time to devise a plan to remove the debris and take other steps to investigate the cause of the blast.

The gas-related explosion injured 21 people, with at least one in critical condition and four in serious condition, on Jan. 8, according to the fire department. It left people trapped under rubble in the basement of the building, where the explosion is believed to have originated in or near Musume restaurant, and sent several area hospitals into a disaster response mode.

Nobody was killed, though the family of one woman said she is in a a medically induced coma as a result of her injuries and may not survive. The woman, restaurant employee Karen Mayte Lopez Ontiveros, is being treated for burns and other injuries at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

Davis told the Star-Telegram on Wednesday the department hasn’t stopped investigations just because of the injunction. While they are unable to do anything inside the building, investigators are still conducting interviews and reviewing surveillance videos.

Experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have been consulting with local investigators and sharing their experience in the safest and most effective ways to determine the cause of the explosion, Davis said. While there is nothing to indicate any criminal or intentional actions led to the blast, he said the advice the department has received has been invaluable.

Davis has also been consulting with the city attorney and other officials regularly and has had calls twice weekly with investigators to get updates on progress and address any hurdles they may be facing. The restrictions on moving or cleaning up debris have been a regular point of discussion.

With the building sealed, recent weather conditions that could have created concerns for increased damage and danger over time have been prevented, the fire chief said.

Investigators are still following up on leads and tips they’ve received since the explosion. Anybody who has information has been asked to reach out to investigators at 817-392-6850.

This story was originally published January 24, 2024 at 2:14 PM.

James Hartley

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

James Hartley was a news reporter at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram from 2019 to 2024