Duo injured in home blast recovering

The family of a brother and sister injured in a Cache County home explosion Thursday say the pair is recovering.

Tony Sorensen, 27, and his sister, Mary Sorensen, 23, were in their parents' College Ward home near 2900 South and 2400 West about 10:20 a.m. Thursday when the first of several explosions ripped through the structure. The first blast reduced the home to little more than "sticks and bricks," as one sheriff's official described it, and sent massive chunks of debris raining down on neighbors' yards hundreds of feet away. Secondary explosions set the rubble ablaze.

Tony Sorensen was initially believed to have suffered burns over 65 percent of his body. However, after further examination at University Hospital, his family says third-degree burns cover less than 40 percent of his body. He was listed in stable condition Friday.

"There was one point where he was able to communicate in writing," said the Sorensens' sister, Kimberly Skidmore, who said her brother is intubated and sedated.

"He says he remembers everything," Skidmore said.

Tony Sorensen underwent surgery Thursday at University Hospital to repair damage done to his leg, which Skidmore said was "severed pretty deeply and broken."

"He will recover," she said, "but it will be a long, long road for him."

Mary Sorensen suffered minor injuries in the blast. She was released Friday from Logan Regional Hospital and is staying with another brother and his wife.

"She is in good spirits and doing very well," Skidmore said.

Tony Sorensen recently started his own pest-control business, his sister said, while Mary Sorensen works at the Walmart in Logan. They were living in the home while their parents are serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Edinburgh, Scotland.

"We've been in constant contact with them in the past 24 hours," Skidmore said of her parents. "They're dealing with it."

Tony and Mary Sorensen are the youngest of nine siblings, some of whom live in houses their father helped them build, just yards from where their parents' home stood. Skidmore lives in one of those homes. She said the family is still somewhat in shock over the disaster.

"Last night was almost joy and celebration that they were alive," she said Friday. "Now, today, is trying to process whatever needs to happen in front of us."