Residents in Chino Hills neighborhood return home after explosion causes several injuries, fire

Some residents in a Chino Hills neighborhood were able to return home after an explosion on Sunday, possibly caused by a gas leak, which forced evacuations.

According to San Bernardino authorities, the explosion took place around 3:45 p.m. after a home on the 42000 block of Sierra Vista Drive caught on fire from a possible gas leak. The fire caused an explosion, which sent pieces of debris flying in the air, causing damage to nearby properties.

A spokesperson for SoCalGas said mandatory evacuations were lifted around 11:10 p.m. on Sunday.

Eight people were taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the incident, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Firefighters said four other victims had transported themselves to the hospital by the time they arrived at the scene.

As of Monday morning, SoCalGas said they were continuing to assess damage to natural gas infrastructure and ensure the safety of the neighborhood. The company added that 12 customer meters have been temporarily shut off as a precaution.

In all, 16 homes were evacuated, firefighters said.

Neighbors said they felt shaking and left their homes to find their street filled with pieces of debris. Cellphone video footage captured by some residents showed the garage door of the home strewn about. It appeared to have struck a car parked across the street before winding up in the neighbor's driveway.

Chuck Abellon, who lives on the street, said that after the explosion, he was helping a teenager whose hair caught on fire. He said the experience was scary and he was not prepared.

"The fire department only gave us like five minutes to get out," Abellon said.

The Chino Valley Fire District is working to determine the cause of the incident. Customers are urged to call 1-800-427-2200 if they experience a service disruption or suspect a natural gas leak.