Thornton, CO – Fire investigators resumed their investigation into the house explosion on Monroe Drive. Officials say they had to stop their investigation on Friday because of fears of asbestos. Investigators say they will likely wear masks and hazmat suits for the duration of the investigation.
Gary Wilmes with the Thornton Fire Department says it will likely take weeks for his team to discover the cause of the explosion. He says one of the challenges investigators face is the nearly three feet of debris piled on top of the basement.
“We think the explosion started in the basement, but we’re still investigating. It’s possible the cause was natural gas,” Wilmes said.
One of the reasons why fire investigators believe natural gas caused the explosion is because of the way the debris settled. Wilmes says it was scattered more than two blocks away and ended up on the roof of homes.
“Natural gas is lighter than air, so it will rise. You need the right concentration of natural gas, which is about five to fifteen percent and then you need an ignition source,” Doug Hutchinson with West Metro Fire said.
Doug Hutchinson is the district chief at West Metro Fire. He says examples of an ignition source include flipping a light switch on, opening a cell phone or even turning on a car.
While natural gas isn’t visible, it does have a strong odor which smells like rotten eggs. Hutchinson says anyone who comes in contact with this scent should leave the structure right away and then call 911. He also recommends getting gas appliances checked by the gas company or a contractor at least once a year.
Thornton fire officials say the name of the man killed in the explosion should be released sometime next week.