House Explodes In Thornton, Dog Finds Scent Of Body Found In Debris
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) - A house has exploded in Thornton and a cadaver dog deployed to search the debris might have found the scent of someone who was in the home at the time.
The explosion destroyed the house, which is located near 131st and Monroe Street.
The blast happened shortly after 3 p.m. and there was heavy smoke coming up from what remained of the foundation for about an hour afterwards. Firefighters with hoses were shooting water on the smoking remains of the structure.
Debris flew on homes next door and on homes across the street. Some pieces of the home were lying a full block away.
Nearby houses were evacuated and crews searched through the rubble for hours.
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There was no immediate word on what might have caused the blast, and there has been no description provided so far on the person who was missing after the blast.
Neighbors Robert Lance Russel and his son Noah were in their home -- which sits diagonally across from the house that exploded -- when the blast happened.
"The shockwave just hit us in our chest and knocked us off our feet just from the force of the explosion from that house," Noah told CBS4.
They said a tree caught fire and that flames from the home after the blast were 10 feet high.
The two men used a garden hose to try to put out some of the flames.
They said they weren't sure if anyone was home at the time and when they called out to see if anyone was in the debris no one answered.
They said firefighters arrived quickly.