Residents Assess Damage after Blast

WE APPRECIATE THE GENEROSITY. THANKS, DAVE. Debby: RECOVERY EFFORTS INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUE TODAY WITH INSURANCE AGENTS AND CONTRACTORS WORKING CLOSELY NOW WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE DAMAGED HOMES. 24 HOUR NEWS 8'S JAY HERMACINSKI IS LIVE TONIGHT FROM THE JOINT OPERATION CENTER AT THE GOLF COURSE WITH THE UPDATE OF THE RECOVERY EFFORTS, JAY? Reporter: DEBBY, TODAY WE SAW FAR MORE ACTIVITY GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE TOLD MORE FAMILIES ARE NOW BEING GIVEN ACCESS TO THEIR HOMES. START OF THAT ACCESS, THE END HERE WHERE FAMILIES CAN COME TO FIND OUT IF THEY'RE APPROVED TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOMES. THEN IF THEIR HOME HAS BEEN CLEAR FOR ACCESS, HOMEOWNERS CAN COME HERE WITH THEIR INSURANCE AGENTS OR A CONTRACTOR, AND THEY CAN RECEIVE PERMITS TO ENTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BEGIN WHATEVER WORK THEY HAVE BEEN CLEARED TO DO. MORE HOURS HAVE BEEN CLEARED FOR FAMILIES TO REENTER THEIR HOMES AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REPAIR AND RECONSTRUCTION. THAT HAS BEEN A COORDINATED EFFORT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF CODE ENFORCEMENT. THEY WORKED VERY HARD TO TRY TO GET THESE FAMILIES ACCESS TO THESE HOMES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. Reporter: EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON CHOPPER 8 FLEW OVER THE RICHMOND HILL SUBDIVISION. YOU CAN SEE MORE ACTIVITY THAN PREVIOUS DAYS WITH CONTRACTORS AND INSURANCE AGENTS MOVING IN TO HELP OUT THE FAMILIES. MANY OF THE HOMES ARE STILL TOO DANGERS FOREANYONE TO ENTER. CODE ENFORCEMENT AGENTS WILL GO HOME TO MOMENT TO SEE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SHORE UP THOSE HOME SO FAMILIES CAN GO IN AND RETRIEVE ITEMS. IN THE MEANTIME, INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL ON THE TEAM. THEY'RE WORKING FROM 7:00 A.M. TO 7:00 P.M. INCLUDING AGENTS WITH THE ATF. Debby: I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE EVERY DAY. HOW LONG WILL THIS INVESTIGATE TAKE? Reporter: I DID ASK TODAY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE. DEBBY, THE BIG THING THEY'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, THEY WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE EXPLOSION STARTED. THEY DO THINK GAS WAS INVOLVED, SO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND ALL OF THE GAS APPLIANCES THAT WERE IN THOSE TWO HOMES. THEY HAVE TO SEARCH THE DEBRIS FIELD. ONCE THEY FIND THOSE APPLIANCES, THE BITS AND PIECES, THEY'LL HAVE TO PUT THOSE TOGETHER AND FIND THE POINT OF A LEAK FROM ONE OF THOSE APPLIANCES.