By Chris Bolin
Greeley Tribune
JOHNSTOWN, Colo. — A gas line exploded Thursday morning on Colorado 60 near Johnstown, sending five people to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and closing a mile-long stretch of the highway for several hours.
Front Range Fire Rescue District Chief Ryan Roberts said in a Facebook video that the line that exploded at about 11:09 a.m. had been dug out during ongoing gas line work in the area. A fire that followed the explosion burned for about 30 minutes before crews brought it under control.
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One small shed was damaged in the incident, as were a couple of trucks belonging to workers, but no homes were involved, Roberts said. It’s not clear which company owned the gas line or was working in the area, but Roberts noted a large number of Xcel trucks in the area during the Facebook video. Xcel did not immediately respond to a call for comment on Thursday afternoon.
Five people were taken by ambulance to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. Roberts did not know the ages of those taken to the hospital.
A half-mile shelter-in-place warning was issued, and emergency personnel went door-to-door evacuating nearby homes. Roberts said all evacuations were lifted by 12:30 p.m.
“It was a well-coordinated response, not only from Front Range Fire, but all the surrounding units,” Roberts said.
Crews from the Greeley Fire Department, Windsor Severance Fire Protection District and Mountain View Fire Rescue responded and helped get the fire under control by 11:45 a.m. In total, 17 units and 35 fire and EMS personnel were on scene, Roberts said.
Fire investigators with both Front Range Fire Protection District and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control are on scene investigating the cause of the explosion, Roberts said.
Colorado 60 between Colorado Boulevard and Weld County Road 15 was reopened as of 3 p.m.
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