OMAHA, Nebraska (WOWT) – An Omaha family is still hurting from losing all of their belongings in an early morning explosion last weekend.
The apartment building where they were living around 72nd and Seward is untenable. The family just wants one thing for Christmas: to return to normal. Tyrece Jasper and his three children were startled awake at 3 a.m. on Sunday.
“It sounded unreal, felt like I had an out-of-body experience,” Jasper told me.It was all real. The apartment building Jasper and his three children were residing in exploded, causing a fire.”The entire building had caught on fire,” Jasper remarked. “People were jumping out of the window barefoot, trying to rush to safety.”
The fire destroyed the building. It’s a wonder that everyone escaped alive. “We just ran out the door, luckily the fire spread but it didn’t get to us that fast, just out to safety,” Jasper told me.
“We just got out of there with the items on our backs. We lost everything, including Christmas presents, clothing, bedding, and shoes, so we are literally beginning over.”
Looking at the ruins that was once his house, Jasper is still struggling to process everything that has transpired. He stated he’ll just keep working and try to recover as quickly as possible.
“It’s unimaginable, its still shocking, it still doesn’t feel real to actually lose everything that I worked hard for,” Jasper went on. “That’s crazy. Words cannot explain it.”
His children are still hoping that Santa will find them this year, but Jasper’s Christmas wish has already been granted.
“Just thank god for what I do have, not really try to focus on things that I lost,” Jasper told me. “You may regain things, but not your life. I’m glad I’m still breathing, and my children are still alive.”
Jasper stated that the Red Cross assisted in getting his family out of the cold for a few days, and his landlord has found them a new apartment.