Homemade fireworks suspected in Colorado explosion that killed man in Aurora
Police are investigating an accidental death in Colorado after fireworks were set off near the Quincy Reservoir in Aurora. A 42-year-old Strasburg man died after an explosion.
Law enforcement responded to reports of an explosion at the Grandview Dog Park at 17502 East Quincy Avenue just before 1 a.m. on Thursday. Officers say three people traveled to Aurora from Strasburg to visit food and beverage businesses. Police say they then traveled to the dog park with several large, commercial-grade fireworks.
One man was allegedly lighting one of the fireworks when it exploded, killing him.
ATF investigators teamed up with the Arapahoe County Bomb Squad and the Aurora Police Department to determine what happened leading up to the explosion.
That explosion prompted numerous 911 calls and Nextdoor alerts in the neighborhood. Neighbors say the explosion shook them up.
"I was sleeping in bed and suddenly I heard like a bomb," said Ruth Cortes. "The building ... it shook. Like somebody shook the building, like the bomb exploded inside the building."
"Then as soon as that happened there were like one or two guys running all over and screaming 'Help!'" Juan Molina told CBS News Colorado.
The identity of the person who died hasn't been released. Law enforcement officials went to his Strasburg home. There was no evidence of explosive-making activity and no additional fireworks were recovered. Officers reopened the dog park briefly but then closed it again as they continued to gather evidence.
