On Thursday night, the last of the evacuated Escondido residents were allowed to return home to the area of the so-called bomb factory, burned to the ground last week after highly-explosive materials were found inside.
Jill Knipp, whose home is next door to the Via Scott home destroyed by fire Dec. 9, looked around her property laughing,” It’s not very tidy here anymore.”
Even though Knipp has called the place home for the last 20 years, she said it doesn't look or feel familiar.
“I just want to make sure everything is back up to speed, the landscaping and everything the way it was when I left the morning of November 18,” she said.
It's been almost a month since the explosion outside the home rented by George Jakubec injured a gardener.
Knipp was ordered to leave her home and forced to put everything she owned into storage.
Thursday night, electricity and gas was restored to her residence, she still has no running water.
Fire-retardant gel covers her property.
“Everything will be restored it will just take some time,” she said.
The county is helping her rebuild her fence. She says insurance should cover the rest.
“I am feeling like I can see the end from here and I will be relieved when it's all over,” said Knipp.
Jakubec pleaded not guilty to eight counts of illegal manufacture and possession of destructive devices and bank robbery in federal court Dec. 6. He was first charged with similar crimes in state court, but his case was moved to the federal court system.
