Westminster Explosion Leaves 2 Injured, Multiple Homes Damaged
An explosion in Westminster, Col. left several homes destroyed and at least two people injured. Police say the explosion was caused by a gas leak, which then ignited and caused the destruction.
"My daughter and I kept smelling gas. She said, 'Mama, I can smell gas.' I said, 'Yeah, I do too,' and the smell kept coming and fading and everything. And all of a sudden there was a big old boom," Arlene Gallegos told ABC News.
Fortunately her home was okay, but several others were damaged, and one home was completely destroyed in the explosion. The residents of the destroyed home were eventually found, though they were reported missing for several hours.
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"The suspected cause of the explosion is a gas leak," Diana Wilson of the Westminster Fire Department told the Denver Post.
Those injured included a police officer who stepped on glass and an Xcel Energy worker in the area who was on an unrelated call. The two are expected to make full recoveries, and given the damage of the blast, it's surprising that no one else was injured.
"Truly there is not a whole lot left in this house," firefighter Courtney VanMeter said of one of the homes. "It's quite shocking."
Residents in the area were allowed back in their homes last night, but the damage still remains.
"It's a mess," Roger Schweger said upon returning to his own home across the street from the blast. "It's a little overwhelming. Obviously, it could be worse. It will all clean up. It will all fix – nobody got hurt."
Unfortunately, four pets from the home that exploded have not been accounted for. The North Area Tech Rescue Crew has been called in to search the home and surrounding areas for the animals.
"I thought a plane had crashed, or it was a bomb, a terrorist," Monique Gallegos told the Post.
Crews have been dispatched to help with the clean up, while an investigation into the blast continues.
