Blocks away from my home, an explosion occurred this morning in Northern Colorado. My mom called me to let me know what had happened, and then all the posts in the local Facebook group started coming in.
Where and When the Fire Happened
At around 11 a.m. on Thursday morning, a gas line exploded near the intersection of Highway 60 and County Road 13 in Johnstown. Firefighters were dispatched to the area of the fire, which was threatening numerous buildings and vehicles in the vicinity.
A Facebook post from Front Range Fire Rescue on Facebook notified residents that crews from Xcel Energy would be working in the area of Colorado Highway 60 and Meadowlark earlier in the day. The post said that the smell of gas would be expected in the area while the work was being done.
The large column of fire was seen in the distance, and as a precaution, Highway 60 was shut down between county roads 13 and 15. By 11:45 a.m., crews from Front Range Fire Rescue, the Greeley Fire Department, Windsor-Severance Fire Rescue, Mountain View Fire Department, the Johnstown Police Department, and the Town of Johnstown had the fire under control. The gas line fire was completely extinguished by noon.
Injuries Reported from the Explosion
As a result of the fire in Johnstown, five people were injured with non-life-threatening injuries. The patients were transported to Medical Center of the Rockies by UCHealth EMS and Mountain View Fire Rescue…