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30 Homes Evacuated During Propane Tank Fire At Aurora Construction Site

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Flames shot up in an Aurora neighborhood Sunday morning after a blowout of some industrial propane tanks.

Workers had been using the tanks at a construction site near East 13th Place and Worchester Street when the fire broke out after 8 a.m. Approximately 30 homes in the area were evacuated.

Propane tank fire
The scene Sunday morning (credit: CBS)

The site is under construction to become a hotel just a couple blocks away from Children's Hospital. It was a frightening ordeal for neighborhood residents who awoke to an earth-shaking rumble.

"It's the rumble that got me," resident Diana E. said.

"It went sky-high, full of flames," Diana's grandson Saibain said.

Propane tank fire
The scene Sunday morning (credit: CBS)

Flames shot up from two 1,000-pound propane tanks that fed into eight other propane tanks underground.

"They are huge, and they have a lot of very heavy, large pieces of metal that if they explode can cause lots of damage," Cpt. Wendy Lippman with the Aurora Fire Department said.

Firefighters doused the flames and kept hoses running to prevent explosions and allow gas to burn off.

"It lit up the whole house," said resident Ivan.

Propane tank fire
Evacuees at the scene Sunday morning (credit: CBS)

Ivan and his wife were among residents evacuated from 30 area homes.

"I (saw) a gas, a propane tank blow out, and it shot up about 20-foot flames," Ivan said.

Investigators are looking into what caused the tanks to blow out.

Nobody was injured.

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