(Updated) Gas line explosion burns plumber at Casper assisted living center

A plumber suffered burn injuries when a natural gas line exploded at Meadow Wind Assisted Living center in Casper on Friday, police said.

The plumber, who was working on the line when it exploded, was taken to Wyoming Medical Center for treatment, said Casper police Sgt. Lyle Berg. Details about the plumber's injuries weren't immediately available.

The 4:30 p.m. explosion prompted residents to evacuate the center. One suffered a knee injury while leaving the building, which sits at the corner of 12th Street and Walsh Drive on the city's east side.

Buses transported residents to other assisted living centers in the area, said Casper Fire-EMS Division Chief Mark Harshman. Fifty were taken to Park Place, and 13 others were moved to Primrose Retirement Community.

The explosion caused some damage to the building, and authorities were assessing the structure to determine when residents could return.

"It was fairly forceful because it did push over a partition wall," Harshman said.

When authorities arrived, they did not find a fire inside the center. The facility's fire sprinklers were activated during the incident.

Carol Burback was working in the center's beauty shop when the explosion happened.

"It was scary," she said. "I have an aging mother. I know how these families would feel."

The evacuation went quickly, she added.

View original post here:
(Updated) Gas line explosion burns plumber at Casper assisted living center