OAK CREEK, Colo.—A man killed in an apparent propane gas explosion and fire at his home was a shuttle driver for a program serving senior citizens.
The body of Dennis Eugene Harris, 64, was found in the crawl space underneath his house after the explosion Wednesday, Oak Creek Fire Protection District Chief Chuck Wisecup said.
Crews reportedly heard him calling for help but did not find anyone in the wreckage until the afternoon, the Steamboat Springs Pilot and Today reported.
A preliminary finding was that Harris died of smoke inhalation, Routt County Coroner Rob Ryg said. An autopsy was expected this weekend, he said.
Harris lived alone with his dog, Buddy, who escaped the explosion.
The blast blew out some walls of the home, and the roof collapsed, Wisecup said. It also shattered windows and skylights at nearby homes.
A propane leak was believed to be the source of the explosion, but the official cause remained under investigation, Wisecup said.
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Information from: Steamboat Springs Pilot and Today,
