1 Worker Hospitalized After Explosion Blows Out Wall in Loveland Duplex

A construction worker was hospitalized with serious injuries and burns following an explosion at an unfinished duplex in Loveland on Wednesday morning.

The incident occurred in the Kinston at Centerra neighborhood, a development located near the intersection of Interstate 25 and U.S. 34. The structure is in the 3200 block of Trailside Drive. Officials confirmed that one individual sustained serious injuries and burns during the event. That worker was transported to the hospital for treatment.

Tim Smith, Assistant Chief of the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, stated that the explosion was reported around 10:30 a.m. He explained that a mishap happened while crews were emptying a gas line inside the building. The force of the blast blew out the wall on the west side of the duplex. Following the explosion, the roof partially collapsed as the building caught fire. Smith noted that the fire likely started quickly and was already fully involved when emergency crews arrived on the scene.

Firefighters faced challenges due to the unstable structure. They entered the adjacent home and attacked the fire from the outside rather than going inside the burning building. The smell of smoke and the heat from the fire remained strong around noon. Crews were still spraying the house with foam to extinguish the remaining flames around 12:30 p.m. Smith said there was no threat to the surrounding community once firefighters removed the gas from the system. He added that most surrounding homes are still under construction and empty. Some homes on the south side have residents, but those people were not at risk after the gas was removed.

Emergency response involved multiple agencies. The streets surrounding Trailside Drive were filled with emergency vehicles. Both Loveland and Poudre Fire Authority deployed ladder trucks. Several other engines were on the scene. Thompson Valley EMS, the Loveland Police Department, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue, and Berthoud Fire Protection District also responded to the call. Members of the Loveland Police Department’s Victim Services team spoke with several construction workers outside the building. The workers declined to speak with reporters.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Smith said he was not certain why the workers were emptying the gas line at the time of the incident. The Loveland Fire Department and the Loveland Police Department will investigate how the explosion occurred. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will also open its own separate investigation into the event.