Metro-east family ‘lost everything’ in home explosion. Here’s how to help
In the aftermath of a home explosion that left a metro-east family injured and without their belongings, the community is rallying to help.
Jacinto Gonzalez, 39, and Odilia Rodriguez, 36, and their three children, 18-year-old Ashlei Fonseca, 11-year-old Gresia Gonzalez and 7-year-old Luis Antonio Gonzalez, were injured when their home in the 3300 block of Fairmont Avenue in State Park Place near Collinsville exploded early Monday morning. The explosion leveled the house and destroyed its contents.
Luis was transported to a hospital in Indiana, Ashlei had a broken back and the others were being treated for serious burns, according to Yasmin Giles, the children’s aunt and Rodriguez’s sister.
While the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s office said the investigation is ongoing and no other information will be provided, a neighbor said the family had smelled gas in the house.
If you are wanting to help the family, there are some options:
KAHOKstrong collects monetary donations
KAHOKstrong, an organization that helps members of the Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 community, is collecting donations for the impacted family.
The district posted on its Facebook Tuesday that it is accepting donations via Venmo, Paypal and mail for housing, clothing and other needs the family has.
The KAHOKstrong Venmo handle is @kahokstrong. Note there are a number of similar accounts, so verify that it’s the correct account before donating by entering 0756 as the last four digits of the phone number associated with the account.
The KAHOKstrong PayPal account is kahokstrong1@gmail.com. Mail donations can be addressed to Collinsville High School, 2201 S. Morrison Ave., Collinsville, IL, 62234. Please write “Attention Toni Geisen” on the envelope.
Family collects donations for relatives impacted by explosion
Relatives of the impacted family are collecting donations via GoFundMe. The page can be found online at bit.ly/gofundmehouseexplosion.
The page’s description says donations will help with the family’s medical expenses, recovery and “to rebuild their lives.”
“While they all managed to escape, each family member is now in critical condition, fighting for their lives in different hospitals, and undergoing urgent surgeries,” Evangelina Gonzalez, the campaign’s organizer, wrote in its description.
“They have lost everything. We’re reaching out to the community to rally around them in this desperate time of need.”
