Re: Hundreds displaced after marijuana processing explosion at apartment complex in Aurora

[Doper Disasters]

In article <t2svq1$3rhpb$1...@news.freedyn.de>
governo...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> Dopers steal electricity and put lives at risk using butane to extract THC.
>

AURORA, Colo. — Firefighters in Aurora are investigating the
cause of an explosion at an apartment complex on Saturday
morning that displaced hundreds of people.

Aurora Fire Rescue (AFR) tweeted at 9:57 a.m., "Aurora Fire
Rescue crews responded to reports of smoke conditions in multi
family residential structure. On arrival, crews began searching
for hazards when an explosion occurred. Searches and evacuation
in progress, damage to the building is being assessed."

Minutes later AFR asked the community to stay away from Parkside
Collective at 14565 East Alameda Avenue or to evacuate the area
as crews investigated the extent of the damage.

A public information officer with AFR told 9NEWS that three
people were injured in the explosion. All three people were
taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and are expected
to be OK.

Around 300-400 residents are temporarily displaced due to the
explosion. AFR is working with the Red Cross of the Mile High
Area and the building managers to find those people a place to
stay.

The Red Cross opened an evacuation shelter for those residents
at Gateway High School.

Before the explosion happened, residents said they heard strange
noises that were difficult to describe.

"At first I heard some cackling and I thought it was just like
the fan, so I turned that off and it stopped for a bit, but then
we heard it cackling again," said Joe Bham. "Almost if you're
ripping up paper, when you're crumbling paper. So, I thought it
was a fan unit or something."

He said they tried to investigate where the sound was coming
from, but couldn't figure it out.

"First of all, my fans just stopped working. It was starting to
do a wobble noise," said resident Ash Fox. "Instead of a
straight fan noise, like white noise, it was going in and out,
in and out. It sounded like it lost power but then it gained
power again. So, it was just a weird stuff going on with
electricity before it happened."

"My voice started shaking and I was shaking for a while," said
Fox. "It really shook me up."

Residents said there weren't any flames, only white smoke.

Tonight, she'll have to stay somewhere else, along with 300-400
other residents as investigators try to determine the structural
integrity of the building.

"Try not to worry too much about this but I know I will be,"
said Fox. "I just hope that everyone's ok."

In the case of Samuel Levy, who was walking to the leasing
office, he described the ground shaking.

“The ground started to shake below the apartment building – at
that point we decided to make our way outside," he said. “We
walked outside, we noticed some steam coming out of the concrete
coming in through the separation in the concrete."

Then, that's when the fire alarms went off. AFD said they were
called out because a resident saw smoke.

"So ran down here, stood by the grassy area and we saw smoke
coming out of the little vents and then I think 10-15 minutes
later, it exploded," said Bham. "All the debris just fell off.
There was an ambulance right in front of us and I'm pretty sure
someone got hit, but it was just crazy."

AFD said the explosion happened near electrical equipment, the
elevator and what looks like utility meters.

Across the street at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, a few
employees witnessed the explosion as they were preparing the
restaurant for the day.

“Soon as I opened the door I could hear the sirens across the
street, a lot of commotion with police, the fire engines," said
Joe Dean, a senior kitchen manager who was joined by his co-
worker, Ryan O'Dea. “Ryan and I both kind of felt the impact in
our chest from that explosion."

AFR said the exact origin of where the explosion came or what it
was from is unknown, but searches have been negative.
Firefighters have mitigated hazards and are out of the building
and are waiting for assistance with utility control.

As of Saturday night, 9NEWS had not received a response from
Parkside Collective's property management company.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/aurora-fire-rescue-
investigating-explosion/73-347f4273-763e-42a8-8262-632e15136f9b