Northwest Austin home explosion: More than 60 damage assessments conducted, mayor says

AUSTIN, Texas - More than 60 damage assessments have been done to homes in a Northwest Austin neighborhood where a home exploded on Sunday.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson provided the update during a press conference Thursday about an unrelated detonation in South Austin.

What we know:

Watson says that on Monday, April 14, the city's Development Services Department began reaching out to the properties that were impacted.

Assessment teams visited each impacted property and completed more than 60 damage assessments, says Watson.

The department is prioritizing reviewing and permitting all emergency repair work for these homes "so that we don't get in the way of people being able to get their properties back where they want them," says Watson.

House explodes in NW Austin, six injured

The backstory:

The explosion happened on April 13, around 11:30 a.m. in the 10400 block of Double Spur Loop, just off DK Ranch Road, north of Laurel Mountain Elementary.

When crews arrived, they found a two-story home that looked like it had exploded and been leveled to the ground. The house next door also suffered severe damage.

There was a vehicle fire at the home that collapsed, and fire crews extinguished small spot fires in the collapsed debris as well.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 6 injured, at least 24 homes damaged after house explosion in Northwest Austin

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin house explosion: Investigation continues into cause

EMS says that a total of six people were treated in connection with the explosion: two people from the collapsed home, another from the neighboring home, another with minor complaints, and two firefighters with minor injuries.

The home was recently built in the Great Hills neighborhood and belonged to a husband, wife, and their two children. A person who knows the family posted that the husband, who was in the home at the time of the explosion, was in the hospital with burns and broken bones and that he had to undergo surgery. 

Initially, officials said about 24 homes were damaged and two were determined "uninhabitable". 

What we don't know:

It is still unknown exactly what caused the explosion that was so powerful it could be heard as far away as Georgetown.

The Travis County Fire Marshal's Office is still investigating.

Authorities say there were propane tanks at the home that exploded, but at this point it's unclear if that was to blame. 

What's next:

The Travis County Fire Marshal's office sent out a statement saying it will not release any further information on a possible cause until the investigation is complete. 

"Until the investigation is complete, this office will not release any information or speculate on causes," said Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell. "We appreciate the public's understanding and patience."