Multiple Members of The Sotelo Family Were Injured in Chino Hills Home Explosion Accident Caused by Gas Leak on Sierra Vista Drive —> GoFundMe Created to Help Family Recover
CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA (November 17, 2025) – Several members of the Sotelo family were injured in a Chino Hills gas explosion accident at a home on Sierra Vista Drive.
San Bernardino County officials are saying that the accident took place around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. The Sotelo family returned home when one of the children turned on a lamp.
That led to a thunderous explosion that rocked the entire neighborhood. One neighbor said that it sounded like a missile went off.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene to help all of the victims. A total of eight people were injured in the blast.
Their injuries reportedly range from first, second, to third-degree burns. Four of the victims were transported to a local hospital.
Another four victims were taken to a burn center to receive treatment. The force of the impact completely destroyed the front portion of the home. SoCalGas was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the gas leak.
You can help support the Sotelo family through GoFundMe. According to the online fundraiser, “The Sotelo family has been displaced and are currently staying in a hotel room. This was a leased home. Needless to stay, their needs are huge. They will need funds to keep a roof over their head as well as find a new place to call home. They also have 3 dogs which are being held by nearby neighbors who will also need to be boarded till they are able to locate stable housing.”
Liability for Chino Hills Gas Explosion Accidents
Property owners in California have a legal obligation to protect residents from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. According to California Vehicle Code 1714, “Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself.” This includes protecting home occupants from gas explosions. Several measures should be taken to prevent these sorts of accidents.
- Surveys: Utility companies should conduct regular leak surveys and address any damage to pipelines before they cause leaks.
- Proper Installation: Plumbers, HVAC contractors, and appliance installers should all ensure that they are using the correct gas fittings and test every joint with a manometer.
- Maintenance: Property owners should conduct routine inspections and maintenance on all appliances that use gas. They should also install and maintain gas detectors throughout their property.
- Testing and Design: Companies that create home appliances must test their products in all of the ways that they are likely to be used. They should install pressure regulators and flame-failure devices to help prevent potential explosions.
When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition with their property, they must take action. Failing to take action could form the basis of a negligence claim. For example, a property owner may have been notified that there were substantial hazards or issues with a gas line for equipment inside of a home. They may have failed to act on this knowledge and take steps to secure the residence. Gas explosions tend to be highly complex events. There could be several liable parties depending on how any particular accident took place.
Additional Sources of Liability for Gas Explosion Accidents
Gas explosions cause many serious injuries and deaths every year in the United States. According to the National Fire Protection Association, “During 2018–2022, there was an estimated annual average of 15,941 reported structure fires where the material in the item first ignited was a flammable gas. These fires caused an estimated 191 civilian deaths, 747 civilian injuries, and $402 million in property damage each year.” Multiple different entities could be legally responsible for any gas explosion that caused injuries.
- Home Owner: If a home was being leased or rented at the time of an accident, the property owner could be liable. Generally speaking, property owners can be liable for any dangerous condition on the property that causes injuries.
- Property Manager: In many cases, properties are managed through a third-party property management company. If this is the case, that entity could bear some liability if a home was not being maintained in a safe condition and this resulted in the gas explosion.
- Utility Company: A utility provider like SoCalGas may be legally responsible for an accident if they failed to maintain their lines and abide by all safety regulations. Liability can also occur if they failed to take reasonable steps to inspect their lines to uncover safety issues in the first place.
- Appliance Installer: Improperly fitted appliances are a major cause of gas explosions. The company responsible for installing gas appliances inside of a home could face legal responsibility for an accident if they used poorly fitting valves that eventually caused a gas leak.
Many lawsuits have been filed against gas utility providers following home explosions. Consider, for example, Pengxuan Diao v. Southern California Gas Co. In that case, an earthquake ruptured a gas line that ran to a converted garage. A SoCalGas technician was called. They failed to perform a required leak check before leaving the property. The garage filled with natural gas prior to the explosion that seriously injured Diao. A jury ruled in favor of the plaintiff and found SoCalGas at fault. Any person injured in a gas explosion does have the option of pursuing some measure of justice and support through a civil action.
Investigating Chino Hills Gas Explosions
We at Carrazco Law extend our best wishes to all of the members of the Sotelo family. It is our sincere hope that they will all be able to make a full recovery. Any person who may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong so that similar tragedies may be averted. Many questions still need to be answered. When was the last time that the gas lines leading to this home were inspected? Did SoCalGas do any work at this home recently prior to the blast?
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in a Chino Hills gas explosion? Our team of premises liability attorneys is here to help you. We are committed to helping victims of gas explosions get all of the medical and financial support that they are owed under the law so that they can focus entirely on healing. Whether you just have legal questions or need any other type of assistance, we are here to serve your needs and support you in any way that we can. You are always welcome to reach out to our office anytime at (800) 541-3244. Se habla español.
