Santa Maria explosion destroyed home, injured 4 people. Now fire marshal knows the cause

Santa Maria city officials said Thursday that the house explosion that destroyed a home and injured four people Wednesday afternoon was caused by an accidental natural gas leak.

Fire and police personnel responded to the scene at 1219 Jackie Lane, near Marian Regional Medical Center, at about 12:10 p.m. Wednesday to find the home completely destroyed.

City spokesman Mark van de Kamp said that 23 adjacent residential structures were damaged, including the next-door residence at 1223 Jackie Lane that had heavy damage to about 75% of the building.

Police officers searching and evacuating nearby homes found four injured people who were transported to local hospitals.

The City Fire Marshal determined the origin of the explosion was in 1219 Jackie Lane home’s kitchen. The cause was an open natural gas outlet with multiple identified sources of ignition capable of igniting the natural gas, according to van de Kamp.

No updates were available Thursday on the conditions of the four people who received medical treatment.

One woman was extricated from inside the home that exploded, while another person who was extricated from an adjacent home and two people who were in the home behind the one that exploded.

Van de Kamp added that preliminary damage estimates for 1219 Jackie Lane include $440,000 for the structure and $100,000 for the contents, and estimates for 1223 Jackie Lane include $425,000 for the structure and $75,000 for the contents.

Damage estimates for the other 22 damaged homes are still being determined, he said. On Wednesday, the city said about 10 homes had windows blasted out by the explosion.

Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz can be reached at sguentz@noozhawk.com .