TAUNTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A preliminary investigation suggests a natural gas leak caused a home in Taunton to explode then burst into flames Wednesday, sending a 25-year-old woman and her two-year-old daughter to the hospital with severe burns, according to Taunton Fire Chief Steven P. Lavigne.
7NEWS spoke with Shnider Germilus, the woman’s boyfriend and child’s father, Thursday.
His girlfriend, Lucitha Blanc, 25, ran back into the inferno to save their 2-year-old daughter, Jenelle.
Germilus said he was at work when the explosion was triggered. He said he was talking to them on the phone while they were making pancakes, and that when Blanc turned on the stove, the house blew up.
The mother and daughter are being treated for burns at hospitals in Rhode Island.
Germilus said Jenelle is doing relatively well.
“She’s in good spirits you know,” he said. “She seems fine, she’s talking and everything, you know saying I love you, Dada, you know, so she’s being strong right now for a little kid.”
He said he is grateful things weren’t worse.
“I’m just happy they’re alive,” he said. “I got my little family still and everything. I’m just happy I got my babies.”
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