Waxahachie house explosion survivor suing contractors

Two months ago, a Waxahachie home exploded from a buildup of leaking gas.

For the first time, the homeowner who was inside when it happened opened up about it Tuesday to FOX 4.

That homeowner, Adele Chavez, is suing the contractors who she says are responsible for her suffering.

Chavez spent more than a month in the hospital recovering from a broken arm and multiple skin grafts. She and her brother, who has special needs, were both in the home when suddenly, it exploded.

“I recall turning on my electric stove because I was going to heat up some water, and that's where it all, it all happened,” said Chavez.  

Chavez, 65, was just about to make breakfast for her brother on Sept. 21. She somehow remained conscious throughout the blast that leveled her Waxahachie home.

“I saw the roof flying,” said Chavez. “I saw boards flying. I saw everything just in front of me, just awful.”

Chavez says she'd smelled sewage from her bathroom the night before and even attempted to call a plumber.

She had no idea that crews had been working nearby. 

The lawsuit says Circle L Construction, which subcontracted to Metro Bore, was hired to install AT&T U-verse fiber optics in the neighborhood.

It says Metro Bore hit a natural gas line nearby, even drilling into the sewer line, which carried the gas into Chavez's home.

Her attorney says the contractors are to blame, citing busted equipment and unsafe practices. 

“I think it transcends negligence,” said Tom Carse, Chavez’s attorney. “In fact, I know it does. There are rules for these drillers. Follow the rules.”

Chavez and her brother got that help. Cell phone video from that day shows neighbors carrying them to safety.

Chavez says she still hasn't seen pictures of her flattened house or been back, but she knows what everyone is thinking.

“That's what everybody says, that I'm a living miracle,” said Chavez.

AT&T and Atmos Energy are not named in the lawsuit, and the attorney says they are cooperating fully with the investigation.

FOX 4 reached out to Metro Bore, as well as Circle L Construction, but did not get a response.