SAN ANTONIO \u2014 The Ochoa family has filed a new lawsuit against CPS Energy, formally closing out their original legal action stemming from a devastating home explosion in northeast San Antonio.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit, filed May 5 in Bexar County district court, names the City of San Antonio, acting through CPS Energy, as the defendant and alleges negligence tied to a natural gas leak that led to the explosion.<\/p>\n
The blast occurred April 21 at Mayte Reeves and Jose Ochoa’s home on Preston Hollow Drive. Attorneys say in the filing that natural gas from a CPS Energy pipeline leaked into the residence, ignited and caused a violent explosion.<\/p>\n
The family survived but suffered what the lawsuit describes as \u201ccatastrophic\u201d and \u201cpermanent\u201d injuries, including severe burns that will require extensive long-term care.<\/p>\n
Ochoa and Reeves are still in the hospital recovering.<\/p>\n
Allegations of preventable failure<\/strong><\/p>\n In the newly filed case, the family\u2019s attorneys argue the explosion was entirely preventable and point to what they describe as a pattern of failures within CPS Energy\u2019s natural gas system.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Explosion was the result of CPS Energy\u2019s poorly maintained, leaking, and deteriorating natural gas system,\u201d the lawsuit states.<\/p>\n Attorneys allege the utility had prior knowledge of risks within its gas distribution network, citing previous incidents, investigations and regulatory scrutiny involving similar explosions.<\/p>\n The filing also claims CPS Energy failed to properly inspect, maintain or repair aging infrastructure and did not adequately warn residents of potential danger.<\/p>\n The lawsuit also highlights that the Ochoa family\u2019s home was not the first to explode that day.<\/p>\n Another home just two houses away exploded roughly two and a half hours earlier, which attorneys argue should have prompted immediate action.<\/p>\n