No injuries in explosion, fire at north Boulder home

Andrea Grajeda and Amber Carlson, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo.
·2 min read

Dec. 18—A mobile home in the Boulder Meadows mobile home park caught fire after an explosion on Sunday morning, but the home's residents escaped uninjured.

Janet Meyer, a retired counselor, was at home with her family just a couple of blocks away when the fire began. At about 11:50 a.m., Meyer said, they felt — but didn't hear — the explosion.

"Our house shook," Meyer said. "We all thought that something had fallen on the roof or fallen off of the roof or something. And so, you know, we were all startled, and I went outside to see what had fallen and saw the smoke."

Meyer said she then walked over close to the fire, where emergency responders had already begun to arrive, and captured the scene on camera. A video clip Meyer shared on Twitter Sunday afternoon shows smoke billowing out of the home.

Dionne Waugh, Boulder police public information officer, said Sunday afternoon that the cause of the fire was unknown but was suspected to have started from a propane tank. She confirmed that there were no injuries and that there was no fire threat to neighbors. She said that the home appears to be a total loss.

Waugh said that the occupants smelled smoke, saw a flame and were able to leave the home before the explosion.

The first emergency call to report the fire was received at 11:45 a.m., and the fire department arrived at the scene within minutes. At 1:02 p.m., the Boulder Police Twitter page advised residents to avoid the 4500 block of 19th Street while the fire department put out the fire.

Meyer acknowledged the response to the fire had been speedy but also noted that in such a densely populated area, it would have been easy for the fire to spread, especially if weather conditions had been less favorable.

"It's really amazing that other homes didn't catch fire. And we were so, so grateful that there wasn't wind," said Meyer. "Because you know, it's close to the anniversary of the Marshall Fire. And if it had been a windy day, so many homes would have been in danger right there. So, grateful for that."