One worker hospitalized after gas line explosion destroys Loveland duplex wall

A construction worker was transported to a hospital with serious burns and injuries after an explosion ripped through an unfinished duplex in Loveland on Wednesday. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. in the 3200 block of Trailside Drive. The force of the blast blew out a wall on the west side of the building and caused the roof to partially collapse when the structure caught fire.

Tim Smith, Assistant Chief of the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, said the fire was already well established when crews arrived. The building became unstable, so firefighters entered the neighboring house to attack the flames from the outside. They used foam to extinguish the fire, which was still spraying at 12:30 p.m. Strong smoke and heat remained around the site at noon.

Smith stated that the gas was removed from the line before the fire became a major threat to nearby residents. Most homes in the area are still under construction and empty. Some houses on the south side have residents, but they were not at risk once the gas was secured.

Emergency response was heavy. Both Loveland and Poudre Fire Authority deployed ladder trucks. Several engines from the Loveland Police Department, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue, Berthoud Fire Protection District, and Thompson Valley EMS also arrived on the scene. Streets surrounding Trailside Drive were filled with these vehicles.

The worker was reportedly emptying a gas line when the mishap happened. Smith said he did not know the specific reason for the task. The Loveland Fire Department and the Loveland Police Department are investigating how the explosion occurred. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has also opened its own probe.

The duplex is located in the Kinston at Centerra neighborhood, near the intersection of Interstate 25 and U.S. 34. Members of the police department's Victim Services team spoke with several workers at the site. The workers declined to comment to reporters.