Construction Worker Badly Hurt in Explosion at Loveland Duplex Under Construction

A construction worker was hospitalized with serious injuries and burns after an explosion tore through an unfinished duplex in Loveland's Centerra area on Wednesday morning, officials said.

The blast was reported at about 10:30 a.m. in the 3200 block of Trailside Drive. Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Assistant Chief Tim Smith said a mishap occurred while crews were emptying a gas line inside the duplex. One worker was taken to a hospital.

The explosion blew out a wall on the west side of the building. The structure then caught fire, and part of the roof collapsed. Smith said the community was never under threat once firefighters had removed the gas. Most of the surrounding homes are still being built and are empty, he said. Some homes on the south side are occupied, but their residents were not in danger after the gas was cleared.

Because the burning building was unstable, firefighters attacked the flames from the outside. They did enter the neighboring home. Smith said the fire most likely spread quickly and was already fully involved when crews arrived.

Around noon, the smell of smoke and the heat from the fire were still strong in the area. At about 12:30 p.m., firefighters were still spraying the house with foam to put out the remaining flames.

Emergency vehicles filled the streets around Trailside Drive. Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and Poudre Fire Authority both sent ladder trucks, along with several other engines. Thompson Valley EMS, the Loveland Police Department, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue and the Berthoud Fire Protection District also responded.

Smith said he did not know why workers were emptying the gas line. Loveland Fire and the Loveland Police Department will investigate how the explosion happened, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will open its own investigation, he said.

Members of the police department's Victim Services team spoke with several construction workers outside the building. The workers declined to speak with a reporter.

The duplex sits in the Kinston at Centerra neighborhood, near the intersection of Interstate 25 and U.S. 34.