Man dies from injuries suffered in Bradenton house explosion

One of the two family members injured in a gas leak explosion in Bradenton on Dec.. 3 has died from his injuries.

Czaia Law, the firm representing the family, announced the death of Adrian Lopez Jr., 23, who died Wednesday afternoon at Largo Medical Center.

Lopez suffered third-degree burns in the explosion that also injured his father, Adrian Lopez Sr..

The day after the explosion, the family said the men were in “bad shape, but stable and recovering.”

No further details were provided on why the younger man’s condition worsened.

“Due to the unexpected and severe downturn in Junior’s condition, Adrian Lopez Sr. was immediately released from Blake Medical Center in the early morning hours,” the law firm said. “He continues to require additional care.”

A firefighter also was injured during the rescue operation.

The Lopezes were inside their home in the 800 block of 29th Avenue West when the house exploded and caught on fire. They had smelled the gas, but the family claims they were told they had nothing to worry about.

TECO crews had responded to reports of a possible gas leak about two and half hours before the explosion at around 2 p.m. and were searching for the leak.

The leak and subsequent explosion forced roads in the area to be closed for hours and several nearby residents were evacuated from their homes as a safety precaution.

TECO Energy representatives attributed the explosion to a buildup in gas within the sewer lines, but the family continues to look for answers.

A gofundme.com page was established in the days after the explosion to help the family. That page also is now devoted to helping the family pay for funeral expenses for Adrian Lopez Jr. As of Thursday morning, 240 donors had contributed $15,892 toward a $20,000 goal.