Ellinger Couple Die from Explosion; Cause Determined

Michael and Mazie Hess of Ellinger died Thursday, two days after they were both seriously injured after a massive explosion caused by a propane leak leveled their home.

Both Michael, 79, and Mazie, 81, were pulled from the rubble by neighbors and flown by helicopter to Austin where they underwent surgeries, but their injuries ultimately proved to be fatal.

Investigators from the state fire marshal’s office have concluded that the explosion was caused by a propane leak found in a bathroom that was in the process of being renovated, according to Fayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Craig Moreau.

The propane leaked for an undermined amount of time, hugging the floor, Moreau said, and when it got to a certain level of concentration ignition was inevitable.

The ignition source could have been any number of things inside the household, Moreau said.

Michael Hess was a Parkinson’s survivor and had undergone brain surgery that had dramatically improved his life, and thereafter started a local Parkinson’s support group for others dealing with the disease.

But Parkinson’s had taken away Michael’s sense of smell, Moreau said.

Propane manufacturers add a smell to propane to help alert customers to propane leaks.

Michael and Mazie Hess moved to Ellinger in 2007 and were active members in the First Baptist Church of La Grange. Michael had been named Ellinger’s Senior Citizen of the Year in 2019.