UPDATE: The CSB sent a team to perform an assessment of the incident. The team analyzed the site and were briefed by local responders and the company. The CSB team met with the NTSB deployment team and visited the site together. After consideration of all available information and evidence, it was determined that jurisdiction for the investigation was more properly with the NTSB. The NTSB has now opened a full investigation and that is ongoing. Any further questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the NTSB.
Denver, CO, May 5, 2017 – The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is sending an investigative team to examine the site of a home explosion which was caused by a nearby leaking gas well in Firestone, Colorado. The explosion led to two fatalities and one serious injury – all members of the public.
Preliminary information indicates that the well was no longer in service, but an uncapped flow line came within several feet of the home and was the likely source of the explosion. CSB investigators will be examining these circumstances.
The CSB is an independent, non-regulatory federal agency charged with investigating serious chemical incidents. The agency's board members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. CSB investigations look into all aspects of chemical accidents, including physical causes such as equipment failure as well as inadequacies in regulations, industry standards, and safety management systems.
The Board does not issue citations or fines but does make safety recommendations to plants, industry organizations, labor groups, and regulatory agencies such as OSHA and EPA. Visit our website, www.csb.gov.
For more information, email [email protected].