Vehicle crashes into home near Denver, ruptures gas line, forces family out
Police in Aurora investigated a potentially dangerous situation after a vehicle crashed into a home on Sunday night. According to investigators, a vehicle crashed into a home about 9:45 p.m. near the intersection of North Vaughn Street and North Uvalda Street.
Police said the SUV left the road and drove into another vehicle parked in front of the home. The impact caused the parked vehicle to crash into the home, causing major damage. The home's gas meter was also ruptured.
Investigators said there was no shutoff value and the gas was venting inside the home. Fortunately, no one inside the home was injured in the crash.
Two homes to the east and west of the crash scene were evacuated by crews with Aurora Fire Rescue while Xcel Energy's emergency response crews were called to fix the ruptured line.
The family displaced from their home was assisted by the American Red Cross.
The driver of the SUV ran away from the crash. Aurora police have not released a suspect description.
Additional Information from the Aurora Fire Rescue:
Gas leaks can be very dangerous. An electric spark can cause an explosion and in high concentration, gases reduce the amount of oxygen available to breathe which can cause drowsiness, headaches, shortness of breath and vomiting.
Natural gas itself is odorless but a harmless additive called mercaptan helps provide an alert of a gas leak. You may also hear a noise when there's a leak ranging from a hissing or blowing sound to a loud roar.
If you suspect a gas leak, get out immediately, move a safe distance away and call 911. Then call Xcel Energy at 800-895-2999.
And if you're using a space heater this time of year, make sure it's not worn or damaged, and keep them away from potentially flammable objects like curtains, couches or blankets. Don't go to sleep with a space heater running and never leave it unattended.
