Victim Of Explosion Talks To NC13

PUEBLO – Over the past five days we have brought you stories from witnesses and heroes from the Branch Inn explosion. Tuesday, NEWSCHANNEL 13 spoke with one of the victims of the blast. Debra Parker was just feet away from the building when it exploded, she shared her story at her home.

“I just wanted to go for a walk,” said Debra Parker, a Pueblo resident.

Last Thursday afternoon, just before 2:00pm, Debra was taking a walk downtown. It ended up being a walk that she would never forget.

“I had just barely gotten across the street from the Boutique and everything and within seconds I’m seeing stuff flying at me, I hear an explosion. You know, rocks, everything going everywhere,” explained Debra.

Debra was directly in the path of the explosion, the force took her off of her feet.

“After it hit, I flew back and slammed my back against the wall,” she said.

In pain and in shock, Debra had no idea what had happened.

“How do I get out of here, who’s in there, what’s going on? It was just a mess,” she said as she explained the thoughts going through her head.

“I just remember a lot of horror, tears, screaming…it was tragic, it was a nightmare,” said Debra.

Her thoughts then turned to her family. She wanted to stay and help but feared another explosion.

“I knew, a mother of 9 children, I couldn’t put myself in danger like that,” she explained.

Debra stumbled down the street to a police officer but refused medical attention. She ended up taking herself to the hospital hours later. Now, five days later, she can’t help but to think of how things may have been different.

“If I had been there any sooner, or still standing there, you know looking at stuff, I would have been gone,” she said.

Debra was released from Parkview Medical Center about eight hours after she arrived. She had no serious injuries, she says she lost some of hear hearing in one ear and has a burn on her arm. Other than that, she is just banged up.