WESTMINSTER, Colo. – A propane tank exploded near a U-Haul filling facility Friday afternoon, sending one person to a nearby hospital with injuries.
The explosion happened at the U-Haul rental location at 8001 Federal Blvd. in Westminster around 1:40 p.m.
Westminster Fire Department Fire Marshal Bob Hose said eight propane tanks were involved in the fire near the propane filling station, but only one exploded.
Video from the scene showed a pickup truck that had been carrying several of the 25-pound tanks was destroyed from the explosion and fire, and a U-Haul truck parked next to it was also heavily damaged on its side.
Hose said 11 fire units from Westminster and nearby agencies responded to the fire, and that some nearby buildings and homes were evacuated out of an abundance of caution in case more of the tanks exploded.
He said that several employees and customers were in the area at the time of the fire, but that only one person suffered burn injuries. Hose did not know the person’s condition.
“Luckily we had a fast response and were able to confine the fire to the immediate area,” Hose told Denver7, indicating that the fire and explosion could have been worse had it spread to the actual filling station or the main tank.
Claudia Stone was headed to the location to fill up a tank for her camper for a holiday weekend trip right after the fire happened.
“It’s pretty crazy. I guess there are probably a lot of people needing propane for the weekend…everyone’s out of propane too, everywhere I go!” she said.
Hose said the department is still investigating the fire but said there was currently no reason to believe it was suspicious in nature.
