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‘He’s gone’: Family, friends remember two victims of K-Bar explosion

Family and friends share memories of last two victims identified in explosion

San Antonio – Friday marks one week since the deadly explosion at a construction company on San Antonio’s Southeast Side.

However, there are more questions than answers after the incident.

“Jimbo, he is the most big loss for us, for a community because he was helping a lot of people. A lot of people worked for him,” said a neighboring business owner, A.J.

James “Jimbo” Kalisek died in the explosion near K-Bar construction services. He owned the business on South Presa. A.J. says Kalisek would often help people get on their feet.

“He’s like, everyone deserves a second chance,” A.J. shared.

Mary “Skip” King is the mother of another victim who died in the incident, William “Steel” Thompson. King remembers her son as a dependable and hard-working man. She says he spent most days working on independent mechanical projects unrelated to K-Bar.

“They work on motors and bicycles, scrap iron, heavy work, he always did,” King said.

Skip says once detectives complete their investigation and confirm the cause of the explosion, it will not bring closure to her son’s death.

“He’s gone…those details don’t matter anymore,” she shared.

However, A.J. says he would like more updates from investigators because he works in the community daily.

“I just want the police department to confirm what was the cause of this?” he asked.

Investigators are looking at whether a propane tank may be to blame for the explosion.

Authorities tell KSAT it was connected to an underground home on the property.

Detectives are waiting on soil samples that could determine the exact cause.

Also on KSAT


About the Authors
Adam Barraza headshot

Adam Barraza is a photojournalist at KSAT 12 and an El Paso native. He interned at KVIA, the local ABC affiliate, while still in high school. He then moved to San Antonio and, after earning a degree from San Antonio College and the University of the Incarnate Word, started working in news. He’s also a diehard Dodgers fan and an avid sneakerhead.

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