The family lost their home and faces surgeries as investigators study a gas leak.
TAUNTON, Mass. — A Taunton father says he was on the phone with his girlfriend and their 2-year-old daughter making breakfast when he heard a stove click, then a loud boom, and screams before the call cut off during a house explosion Feb. 25.
The blast and fire destroyed a three-family home on Plain Street and badly burned 25-year-old Lucitha Blanc and her toddler, Jenelle. Fire officials say the initial findings point to a natural gas leak, while the exact source and ignition remain under investigation. The explosion displaced residents in a neighborhood still digging out from a major snowstorm, and it triggered an outpouring of donations for the injured family and their neighbors.
Shnider Germilus said he was at work when he heard the sounds that made his stomach drop. He described hearing the stove turn on, then an explosion and his daughter crying on the line. The call ended, and he said he tried to understand what happened while watching reports spread online. He called police and waited for word, fearing the worst after seeing video of flames consuming the building. When he reached the hospital, he said he saw his daughter with burns and heard her greet him. “Hi, dada,” she told him, Germilus said, as he tried to keep his voice steady while describing a moment he said he will never forget.
Officials said crews were called to the Weir Village section of the city about 9:50 a.m. and arrived to find the multiunit home fully involved in fire. Blanc and her child were taken to hospitals in Rhode Island for treatment, with Blanc suffering severe burns and the child also badly burned. Fire Chief Steven P. Lavigne has said the mother initially made it out, then realized her daughter was still inside and went back in. Police Chief Edward Walsh said the mother got herself and the child out and went to a nearby house, where responders found them. Eight residents were displaced, and two neighboring homes suffered serious damage.
Germilus and relatives said the family lost nearly everything in the blaze. In interviews, he described their morning routine in the kitchen, saying the toddler likes to help with pancakes by breaking eggs and stirring. He said he was on the phone with them as they cooked when he heard several clicks, then the blast. He said Blanc ran outside after the explosion, then turned back when she realized their daughter was still inside, pushing through debris to reach her. Germilus described Blanc as a “superwoman” for getting their child out, and said doctors told him both mother and daughter would likely need surgeries as they recover.
The family’s needs quickly became practical as well as medical. Germilus told local reporters that his daughter wears toddler-size clothing and small shoes, and that Blanc wears a women’s medium and size 7 shoes. He said they were grateful for donated clothes and other supplies while they focus on healing. At the hospital, he said, his daughter has been waving and talking with staff and has been comforted by simple things, including a stuffed animal and cartoons. Germilus said his girlfriend has also been able to talk, though both have a long road ahead. “They’re in good spirits,” he said, describing moments when he has heard his toddler say she loves him.
Neighbors and city leaders described a scene of shock on a tight street where homes stand close together. Residents said the blast could be heard blocks away, and one neighbor said heat from the flames was strong even across the street. With snowbanks still lining the road from the recent storm, firefighters and neighbors worked to reach water quickly. The city opened a warming center for people displaced, while investigators secured the area and monitored nearby damage. As the building was torn down and crews cleared debris, Germilus said the hardest part has been trying to keep his family’s spirits up while he watches them recover from painful injuries.
By Sunday, Germilus said he was focused on small steps: time at the bedside, updates from doctors, and watching his daughter eat and talk again. Investigators are continuing to examine what triggered the leak and what ignited it, and officials have said the case remains active. The family’s next milestones are medical, including procedures doctors say are likely, and longer-term housing needs after their home was deemed a total loss.
Author note: Last updated March 1, 2026.