Man Survives When Truck Explodes In Northglenn
NORTHGLENN, Colo. (CBS4) - A Northglenn man was hurt Wednesday morning when his truck exploded and caught fire while he was only a few feet away.
The explosion happened at 6:19 a.m. at the man's home at Garland and Lincoln, north of 104th and east of Interstate 25. Witnesses said flames were visible from the interstate.
Aa really big boom, a scary boom. I thought it was our water heater or something downstairs that exploded because the whole house shook," neighbor Ann-Charlotte Norveng said. 'There were several explosions and the truck rolled into my hedge and it was burning, so I was worried."
Firefighters say the man, who is in his 30s, was walking up to the truck to head to work when a gas tank inside the cab exploded.
Officials believe the explosion and the fire that it triggered probably melted the vehicle's brakes, causing it to roll backwards down the driveway and across the street. The truck stopped when it hit a neighbor's hedge.
The truck was destroyed and a pickup parked next to it was damaged. The man's home was partially damaged and at least six other homes had damage from the explosion.
"There was a fire immediately in the driveway and then, according to neighbor accounts, it rolled back into the street where you see it now," North Metro Fire Rescue District spokeswoman Sara Farris said. "The tank that was inside the cab of the truck had exploded, and that's what caused the fire."
The man was taken to the hospital and released after being treated for injuries.
