TAUNTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A woman who lived on the third floor of the Taunton multi-family home that exploded Wednesday says she’s lucky to be alive, and is still shocked about what happened.
The home on Plain Street exploded then burst into flames at approximately 10 a.m., sending 25-year-old Lucitha Blanc and two-year-old daughter to the hospital with severe burns, according to Taunton fire officials. Both are still recovering in two different Rhode Island hospitals.
Taunton Fire Chief Steven P. Lavigne said a preliminary investigation suggests a natural gas leak caused the explosion. Blanc’s boyfriend said she was making pancakes on the stove for their daughter when the home caught fire.
Sara Donovan lived upstairs from Blanc and her daughter with her father, who is diabetic. She said she wasn’t feeling well on Wednesday, but decided to go to work anyway. She said she wasn’t there long when she learned of the explosion.
“I was supposed to stay home because I was sick, and I didn’t. Thank God I didn’t because the third floor — I wouldn’t have made it,” said Donovan. “It’s a bad dream. Everything is gone, everything.”
Donovan says she’s thinking of her downstairs neighbors who were injured in the blast.
“We’ve been neighbors for a long time,” she said. “They’re great people. No one here deserved any of this. No one anywhere.”
Donovan says she is thankful her father was also at work when the explosion occurred, although they lost everything, including his insulin and medical supplies.
“We’re okay, we’re just thankful for everybody’s kind words and prayers and everything,” she said.
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