THORNTON – Police say the explosion at a home in the 13000 block of Monroe Drive that left a man dead and caused a two-block debris field was a suicide.
According to a news release from the Thornton Police Department, the victim – identified as Gary Pine – detached the natural gas line to the furnace, causing the home to fill with natural gas and ignite – which caused the house to light on fire and explode.
After the fire, neighbor Todd Branson says residents on the street grabbed garden hoses and immediately tried to keep the fire from spreading. The smoke from the blaze was visible for several miles.
Crews from multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Xcel Energy.
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