Four weeks after a house explosion on Old Peoria Court west of Bloomington sent eight members of the Hoefer family to the hospital, their pastor says all are expected to recover.
"Given what happened, it's borderline miraculous that anybody survived," said Scott Boerckel, senior pastor of East White Oak Bible Church.
The Aug. 25 blast ruled the Hoefer home a total loss. The fire spread to the home next door, owned by Ashley McAfee, and destroyed it, too.
Three Hoefer family members were critically injured. Boerckel said they have undergone procedures, including skin grafts.
"Those have all progressed very well," said Boerckel, adding those who have left the hospital are staying with church members and relatives.
The church has provided assistance with transportation and replacing keys destroyed in the fire.
"It varies from getting to a locksmith to get lock keys for cars. The keys all burned up," Boerckel said.
He said needs for food, clothing and shelter will grow as family members leave the hospital. The church also is considering professional trauma counseling for the family.
The church has contacted the two neighboring families.
A knock at the door
McAfee said she, her husband and two of their children, one 15 years old and the other 11 months, were home at the time of the explosion. McAfee said she was asleep when her 15-year-old daughter woke her after sheriff's deputies began knocking on the door.
McAfee said by the time she stepped outside onto her porch, the Hoefer home was fully engulfed.
"That's when I see that it's like, all hell is broken loose," McAfee said. "It's like a real life war outside."
Her husband carried out their 11-month-old, and the family got their dog out. All four people in the house escaped without injury.
"Right after my husband came out of the home, not even two minutes later is when our property caught," McAfee said.
Initial reports indicated damage to the McAfee home was largely limited to the garage. McAfee said only the structure remains, and the family recovered less than 10% of its belongings.
"My vehicles are gone. All of the contents inside are gone," she said.
The family is living in temporary housing arranged through its insurance company. As part of the claim, McAfee must list everything the family lost, room by room.
"Every single thing that I lost, down to a pen," she said.
McAfee said she does not plan to rebuild on the property.
“I have known since the moment I was told at 4.32 a.m. that my house was gone, and then at 7.36 a.m. when I entered my home, I never, ever would go back and rebuild there,” McAfee said.
In an email to WGLT, Danvers Fire Chief Glenn Rosecrans said the cause has not been determined. It remains under investigation by the Illinois State Fire Marshall's office.
McAfee's sister has set up a GoFundMe for the McAfee family. A separate fundraiser has been established for the Hoefer family.
