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Contractor for Gypsum fiber optic work that led to gas leak, explosion makes donation

Sept. 17 explosion leveled a Gypsum home, left one dead

The Chatfield Corners neighborhood in Gypsum on Sept. 19, 2020.
John LaConte | jlaconte@vaildaily.com

A contractor involved in the Sept.17 explosion that leveled a home in Gypsum has provided a donation to the local Swift Eagle Charitable Foundation.

SEFNCO Communications is the contractor working on a fiber optic project for Comcast. Excavation for that project may have caused a gas leak that leveled the home and left one person dead.

Investigators discovered human remains Friday at the site of the explosion that rocked the Chatfield Corners neighborhood around midday Thursday.



The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the victim has not yet been positively identified, “which takes time,” Eagle County Coroner Kara Bettis said Saturday.

SEFNCO Communications President Scott Nall Monday issued the following statement:

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“Our deepest sympathies are with those who lost a loved one and our hearts go out to all of the families impacted by Thursday’s gas line incident. SEFNCO Communications, Inc. is providing support to the Swift Eagle Charitable Foundation and will continue to support the community and the ongoing investigation.” 

The Comcast project is intended to bring a fiber-optic network into Gypsum and Eagle and bring new connection points within reach of homes.

Black Hills Energy Operations Supervisor Tom Warnes said Friday crews determined there was “zero gas saturation” in the ground. On Saturday, the smell of natural gas wafted through the neighborhood as part of a controlled release, something Black Hills described as “step one in the multistep process.” Workers went door to door relighting pilot lights and making sure everyone’s stoves were working as gas service was restored.

John LaConte contributed reporting.


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