Man Succumbs To Injuries From Apartment Explosion

A San Jose man who was critically burned Saturday in an  at a Livermore apartment has died, officials said Friday.

Paul Lom, 35, died Thursday at Valley Medical Center in San Jose. Livermore residents Evan D. Aviles, 21, and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Lexie Miriyah Hutson, also were injured in the incident and remain in critical condition.

Aviles, who lives in the apartment where the explosion occurred, is at UC Davis Medical Center. Hutson is at Valley Medical Center in San Jose.

Police continue to investigate the cause of the explosion that rocked the 3600 block of Silver Oaks Way. They have evidence that suggest illegal drug activity may have led to the explosion and the horrific scene that unfolded afterward.

Chris Fisher lives in the neighboring apartment and was the first person to respond and help the injured. In an interview with Livermore Patch, Fisher said he hasn't been able to sleep much since the incident.

"I've never seen anyone burned that bad in life," he previously said. 

View a video interview of Fisher describing the explosion and the aftermath .

The explosion has displaced four other families living in the complex. The city's building inspector listed the burned building as uninhabitable.

Relocated residents have been told that they may be able to return in about two months. The explosion and fire caused about $350,000 in damage to three of the five units in the building.

Investigators have ruled out a methamphetamine lab as a possible cause of the explosion. Neighbors interviewed by Livermore Patch suspect marijuana may have played a role, which investigators have declined to confirm.

There are several incidents a year, according to news reports, of fires and explosions caused when drug users use flammable substances to attempt to extract oil from marijuana leaves to get a highly concentrated form of cannabis extract.

Previous reports: