South Bay mother recovering from apartment explosion that left her with burns

IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) – An Imperial Beach mother is recovering in the hospital after an apartment explosion left her with second and third-degree burns while her children watched in horror.

Diana Hernandez was in her apartment on Georgia St., preparing breakfast for her kids last Wednesday, when she tried to light her stove around 7 a.m. What started as a routine morning quickly turned into a life-changing tragedy.

“Pain. All I remember was a lot of pain,” Hernandez said from her hospital bed, her voice hoarse from burns near her throat area.

The 41-year-old single mother said her 12-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son were in a bedroom when she went to the kitchen. As she tried to light the stove, she heard clicking but it wouldn’t ignite. After trying a lighter to spark it, an explosion occurred.

“Explosion goes all in my face and chest. I remember heat, my hair on fire. My skin got very tight,” Hernandez said.

She ran to the shower to put out the flames while her frightened daughter, who was witnessing her mother on fire, tried to help.

“She told me, ‘You are burned! You are burned.’ It’s a big shock. It’s a big impression for her. I feel bad for her. She tried to be strong,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez managed to get her two children out of the apartment, which had caught fire. Several other units were also damaged before fire crews extinguished the blaze.

At the hospital, doctors diagnosed Hernandez with second and third-degree burns on her face, head, and chest. She also suffered heart complications, including two heart attacks. Her road to recovery is expected to be long, and she remains in constant pain.

Despite her suffering, Hernandez maintains her gratitude.

“I’m thankful, and grateful with God,” she said.

When asked about her motivation to keep fighting, she didn’t hesitate.

“My kids, that is everything for me,” Hernandez said.

As a single mother, Hernandez worries about making ends meet after losing everything in the fire.

“Completely lost everything, nothing we can rescue,” she said.

While she has renters insurance, Hernandez won’t be able to work her delivery job for some time. Still, when she thinks about what she’s already endured, it gives her strength to push forward.

“I seen the future and I want my life back,” she said.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Hernandez with living and other expenses.

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