SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO
Las Cruces home explosion linked to acetylene tank
Investigators rule cause of fatal fire as accidental
Fire investigators have determined that a Wednesday explosion that consumed a Las Cruces residence and killed an unidentified occupant was an accident caused when an acetylene cylinder ignited inside the trunk of a vehicle parked in the garage.
The Las Cruces Fire Department announced the finding Monday evening after an investigation that included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The explosion and fire temporarily displaced three residents of an adjacent duplex that sustained minimal damage. The property is on Fairway Drive, a residential street close to Interstate 25.
What sparked the explosion was not clear. The tank was believed to have been stored temporarily in the trunk and blew up while the deceased individual was inside the vehicle. An investigation of the remains by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator to determine the cause of death is ongoing, the fire department stated.
Investigators found that carbon monoxide alarms in the garage had signaled alerts earlier that morning. Although it was not certain the alerts were related to the explosion, the fire department said some combustible gases can trigger carbon monoxide alarms.
鈥淯nexpected alarm activations should always be taken seriously and investigated promptly,鈥 the LCFD stated in a news release.
The announcement also reminded the public that acetylene or other compressed gas cylinders should be kept upright and stored in areas with ventilation and away from sources of heat or sparks. In confined spaces, leaking gas and fumes can accumulate and create an opportunity for explosion.
While the cause has been ruled as accidental, the investigation remains underway, the fire department said.
Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.