Church official: Woman injured in Waxahachie explosion undergoing surgery for burns

Updated (10 a.m.)

WAXAHACHIE — A woman who suffered severe burns in a home explosion in Waxahachie is undergoing surgery Tuesday morning at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, an official at her church said.

Adele Chavez, 69, was airlifted to Parkland on Monday, when an explosion around 8 a.m. destroyed her home at 113 Arabian Road, said Nathan Grant, a minister at Refiners Fire church in Ennis.

Chavez suffered burns on 35-40 percent of her body, as well as an injury to her shoulder. Her brother, Jaime Rodriguez, was also burned on his arm and face, but his injuries weren’t as severe, Grant said.

The investigation into the explosion — which destroyed Chavez’s home, caused damage to two others and forced evacuations for at least 10 more homes in the Saddlebrook Estates — resumed Tuesday morning, Atmos Energy officials said.

In addition to Chavez and Rodriguez, who were both inside the home when it exploded, a “handful” of other people were treated and released at the scene, Waxahachie spokeswoman Amy Hollywood said Monday.

Atmos Energy spokeswoman Jennifer Altieri said the company hoped to have an update on the evacuations by mid-morning Tuesday.

Atmos crews and the Waxahachie Fire Department spent Monday investigating the explosion.

“As part of normal operating procedures when Atmos Energy is called to the scene of an incident, we work closely with our first responders to make the area safe and then conduct leak surveys in the area to identify if gas was involved,” Altieri said Monday in a statement. “At this point it is too soon to tell what caused this incident.”

Chavez has been a longtime member and volunteer at Refiners Fire, a non-denominational church in Ennis.

“She is very active with our church,” Grant said. “Specifically, we have a food and clothing outreach that runs Monday through Thursday. She works there every day. She's also a door greeter, so she's the first person you see when you get here.”

The church posted an update on Grant’s condition to its Facebook page Monday.

“She was responsive and was able to pray with the Pastors while they were there,” it said. “We need to continue to pray that her lungs are good as well as a good prognosis on the burn damage to her body. Please also pray that skin grafts would be minimal.”

Star-Telegram media partner WFAA Channel 8 reported that officials said Atmos worked on a gas leak in the neighborhood last Friday, but that the work took place on the other side of the neighborhood.

The Red Cross and Salvation Army were on the scene assisting residents.

“Emergency officials are securing the scene and ensuring that safety hazards are eliminated before families can return,” Red Cross regional spokeswoman Anita J. Foster said in a statement. “Once the area is deemed safe, Red Cross teams will conduct an official damage assessment and help those displaced with items they need immediately.”

The Salvation Army planned to provide meals for up to 120 people, according to a news release.

This story was originally published September 21, 2015 at 9:15 AM with the headline "Church official: Woman injured in Waxahachie explosion undergoing surgery for burns."