An arrest has been made in the Sept. 4 home explosion, according to a Cañon City Police Department press release.
Matt Christensen, 32, of Cañon City, was charged with fourth-degree arson and felony criminal mischief, the release states.
According to the release, he was arrested without incident and was released on a $5,000 bond.
The explosion was caused by an air/natural gas detonation, according to CCPD. The release states he detonated the gas because he was trying to commit suicide.
The fire department and the CCPD were dispatched at 2:25 a.m. to 1509 Woodlawn Ave. According to a press release from the CCPD, upon arrival, officers found a residence engulfed in flames and totally destroyed from an apparent explosion.
Darwin Winfield, manager of public relations for Atmos Energy, said Atmos responded to the home shortly after receiving a call at 2:40 a.m. Crews disconnected gas service to the home to make the scene safe for first responders and Atmos employees. Inspections were made later that morning to look for any other possible leaks, he said, but none were found. Evacuation orders then were lifted.
The CCPD sent out a reverse 911 for mandatory evacuations in the immediate area until the gas could be turned off. Char and Steve Cornwell and six children, who were in the home, were evacuated, along with other neighborhood residents. In pajamas, and some without shoes, the family was directed to go to the St. Thomas More Hospital parking lot, where the hospital provided temporary shelter for evacuees. They were offered refreshments and a safe, warm place to stay until they were able to return to their homes, Jillian Maes, director, Marketing & Communications said.
“It was our pleasure to be able to support our community during this time,” she said.
Char said she always thought about what she would take with her if her house was on fire, but when her family was ordered to evacuate, the safety of her family was first and foremost on her mind.
“All I wanted to do was get my kids and get out of here,” she said. “Nothing else mattered to me at that point.”
Neighboring homes and vehicles sustained some damage, and insulation and debris from the home were scattered across the neighborhood and in nearby streets. The garage door from the home landed in a yard across the street from the residence.
The Cornwells, who live at 14th Street and Woodlawn Avenue, were awoken by the explosion.
“I seriously thought we were being bombed,” Char said. “It was the loudest explosion I have ever heard, and our whole house shook.”
Christensen was located after the explosion and transported to St. Thomas More Hospital with burn injuries. He apparently was “flung” into the backyard of the home but was mobile and walking around the scene with responders arrived.
“He is very fortunate he didn’t sustain serious injuries,” Area Fire Protection District Chief David DelVecchio said.
