UPDATE: May 29:

A mattress is to thank for saving the life of a 4-month-old girl found in the rubble of her Victoria, Texas, home after an explosion on Wednesday morning, officials say.

Firefighters said the baby, named Parker Singer, likely survived because of a mattress that fell on top of her. The blast killed her mother, 26-year-old Haley Singer.

This was divine intervention.

Officials say the explosion happened around 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday, shortly after Travis Singer left the two-story Whispering Oaks Drive home for work. Sheriff T. Michael O'Connor told the Victoria Advocate that Parker suffered no internal or external injuries and said it was an emotional moment when rescue workers walked out of the rubble carrying the infant.

"This was divine intervention," O'Connor said.

Photo Victoria Advocate
Photo Victoria Advocate
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Those who witnessed the blast said it sounded like a plane was crashing, and described a thick plume of smoke that rose hundreds of feet into the air.

Haley was a speech language pathologist with DeTar Healthcare System. Haley's mother, Mary Helen Barrick, told the Victoria Advocate her daughter loved her job and cared dearly for each patient.

"I have never been more proud of a young woman than I was of her," Barrick said. "She was the biggest accomplishment I ever had in my life."

Officials say the cause of the explosion remains under investigation and that numerous state and local agencies are involved. Fire marshal Ron Pray, who is heading up the investigation, said the home used propane rather than natural gas, but either could cause an explosion.

Pray said the investigation will likely be lengthy because of how thorough teams are being. He said a laser will be used to create a 3-D map of the scene to assist in determining cause.

According to friends of the Singer family, Travis Singer traveled to San Antonio, where Parker was hospitalized, following the explosion.

Haley's friend, Kacie Schmidt Balfanz, has set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money for Travis and Parker. Balfanz said Travis and his miracle baby will be staying with family once Parker is released from the hospital.

Singer Family, Victoria Explosion Victims
Singer Family
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On Thursday evening, the Go Fund Me showed that more than $60,000 had been raised for the family so far.

Original Story, May 28:

A 4-month-old baby miraculously survived an explosion at a Victoria, Texas, home that left one woman dead on Wednesday morning, according to a report by the Victoria Advocate.

The Advocate reports that the initial call about the explosion near the intersection of Oak Colony and Whispering Oaks drives began coming in to the fire department around 7:15 a.m. They said firefighters found the baby girl in the rubble near the explosion about 15 minutes later. The baby was taken to a hospital in San Antonio.

The name of the woman killed in the explosion has not been released.

Officials said about a dozen surrounding homes were damaged in the blast, the cause of which remains under investigation.

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