Exclusive: New York Family's Story of Survival Amid Devastating House Explosion

The family said they suspect the blast was related to the septic system under repair, but so far investigators have not determined the exact cause

It's an amazing story of survival: a New York family's house was obliterated in a devastating explosion Nov. 29, but everyone escaped alive.

A week after the blast destroyed their home, Denise and Craig Kunish spoke exclusively to NBC 4 New York about what happened that day.

Speaking from a friend's house, Denise Kunish described how she had just walked in the door to their home on Wailing Road in the Pine Island hamlet of Warwick.

She was waiting for the couple's three children to arrive home on the school bus, but was overwhelmed by the smell of rotten eggs, even phoning her husband about it.

Then the explosion happened.

"I can't even describe it, it was just so loud and everything was crumbling around me," she said.

The power of the blast blew Denise Kunish out of the house and buried her under rubble in the back yard.

"There was a time I was just lying there I thought I was going to die," she said.

Craig arrived home in a panic, looking for only one thing - his wife. "I was running to find Denise," he said.

Luckily she was able to reach her phone, call her husband and climb out of the rubble, with only bruising to her face from the close call. The couple's "precious" wedding album also survived the blast, another reason to be grateful, they said. 

"I'm beyond blessed and thankful and trying to take it one day at a time," Denise Kunich said.

The Warwick community rallied to assist the family and raised almost $150,000 for them in the last week. 

"This is just the most incredible town and community and exactly where we were meant to be," Denise said.

The couple said they suspect the blast was related to the septic system under repair, but so far investigators have not determined the exact cause.

They family is currently living in a hotel, and friends in Warwick had offered them a place to stay over the holidays. 

I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT WAS JUST SO LOUD AND EVERYTHING WAS CRUMBLING AROUND ME.

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