An explosion touched off a natural gas fire in Weld County Sunday afternoon prompted officials to use a reverse-911 notification system to alert residents living nearby to evacuate.
The fire erupted at a natural gas compressor station near Weld County Roads 10 and 19. Smoke, rising hundreds of the feet into the air, could be seen for miles.
According to investigators an employee was bleeding off a natural gas line when it exploded. The man suffered burns to his face, hands and chest. He was airlifted to North Colorado Medical Center and was reported in fair condition Sunday evening.
Firefighters were kept back from the blaze because of the threat of an explosion from a tank at the compressor station. Homes located within a mile of the fire were in the evacuation footprint. They were allowed to return after the gas line was shut down and the fire burned itself out.
The compression station is owned by Encana, a Canadian oil and gas producer, with headquarters in Calgary, Alberta.
The fire was located about 1 to 2 miles west of Fort Lupton and smoke from the blaze could be seen as far away as the Denver metro area.
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