A powerful explosion, followed by a transformer fire at an assisted living facility in Denver, led to the hospitalization of ten individuals and displaced numerous residents, authorities report.
On Wednesday, the Denver Fire Department responded promptly to the incident at the Eastern Star Masonic Retirement Campus and managed to bring the fire under control, according to an official statement from the department.
Although the injuries possibly incurred were described as minor, further information about the victims was not immediately made available, explained Capt. Luis Cedillo, a spokesperson for the department.
The blast forced the evacuation of 87 inhabitants. The affected building has since been boarded up, and it remains uncertain when residents might be able to return, Cedillo noted.
“If residents do go back, it will only be to retrieve personal belongings from their apartments,” Cedillo elaborated, adding that only apartments verified as safe would be accessible to residents.
Initial investigative findings suggest that during nearby construction work, a power line was inadvertently damaged, triggering the explosion, the fire department disclosed.
Resident Barbara Hinchey recounted to local news sources that she was seated when the explosion reverberated through the space.
“I felt the boom,” Hinchey recalled. “It rocked my chair, so I knew when the fire alarm went off that it was serious.”
Hinchey described her escape through thick smoke but noted that the evacuation was orderly, with no panic or shouting from the other residents.
The American Red Cross of Colorado immediately responded by deploying its disaster action team and began coordinating efforts to secure temporary accommodations for the evacuated residents. According to reports, by Wednesday evening, all displaced residents had either reunited with family members or been relocated to temporary housing.
Although the situation has stabilized, the event underscores the need for ongoing vigilance and emergency preparedness for facilities serving vulnerable populations.
