Firestone, CO House Explosion: 2 Dead, 2 Injured

An April 17 house explosion in Firestone, CO killed two people and injured two others. One of the survivors suffered severe burns and was airlifted to a hospital, the other was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

Friends told local media that Mark Martinez and his brother-in-law Joey Irwin may have been trying to fix a hot water heater when the explosion occurred killing them both. Erin Martinez, a science and physics teacher at Mountain Range High School, was airlifted to a trauma center. A child, whose identity was not released, was transported to an area hospital. One of the Martinez’s two children was outside at the time of the explosion, according to witnesses.

A massive fire followed the explosion, which occurred around 4:30 p.m. leveling the recently built home on Twilight Avenue.  A witness told CBS 4 that construction workers, who were working in the area, used a forklift to lift a portion of the collapsed house and pulled Erin Martinez out. Although she was badly injured,  she was asking about the safety of her children, the witness said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family. The New Image Salon in Frederick is collecting donations for the family including clothing, toiletries and household items.

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Category: Explosion, Fire and Burn Injuries
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