At Least Ten Injured in Explosion at Apartment Building on Santa Fe Drive

Ten people have been injured, one critically, following an explosion at a fourplex at Santa Fe Drive and Fourth Avenue likely due to a natural gas leak.

By Ana Campbell

August 14, 2018

Conor McCormick-Cavanagh

Audio By Carbonatix

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Ten people were injured, one critically, following an explosion at a fourplex at Santa Fe Drive and Fourth Avenue that was likely caused by a natural gas leak. Santa Fe is closed from Ellsworth to Fifth avenues.

Firefighters have removed a victim from the rubble and are still battling a blaze at the building.

Xcel spokesman Mark Stutz says the company services the natural gas meter outside the apartment building, and workers are on site to help the fire department investigate the cause of the explosion. In the meantime, Xcel has cut gas to the surrounding area.

Stutz didn't know when Xcel had last been at the site to inspect its lines but says such inspections happen "fairly routinely." Natural gas explosions are most often caused by leaking appliances.

We'll update this story as we learn more.

Ana Campbell has been Westword's managing editor since 2016. She has worked at magazines and newspapers around the country, picking up a few awards along the way for her writing and editing. She grew up in south Texas.

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