Two injured in house fire in Manor

MANOR, Texas (KXAN) - Two propane technicians were taken to an Austin hospital on Thursday afternoon after a fire tore through a house in Manor, officials said.

The injuries were described as "moderate." The were taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge.

Firefighters were dispatched to 11504 Briar Creek in response to a call about a ruptured gas line and an explosion. The ignition source was unknown.

Fernando Benford witnessed the blast, saying, "They was trying to stop the gas and one of them took a hammer and hit the metal while the gas was on. All I saw is fire blow up and they blew back. I took off the other way."

Neighbors in the area began smelling gas around noon, but none was found when workers responded.

Later, the two workers in the house that burned were injured when gas apparently exploded. The house sustained damage, but the occupants got out unharmed.

Deanna Pichon, the mother of three who lived in the home, said despairingly, "It's terrible, I don't own nothing no more except the clothes I have on. Everything was in that house, all my kids clothes, everything."