DENVER — A southeast Denver assisted living facility that was rocked by an explosion Wednesday will remain closed for the foreseeable future, according to the Denver Fire Department.
Eight people were hospitalized after an explosion inside one of the buildings at the Eastern Star Masonic Retirement Campus, located at 2445 S Quebec Street. Nearly 90 residents have also been displaced.
Denver Fire determined that a power line was "accidentally struck" during construction work, which resulted in the explosion and transformer fire. The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control is investigating the incident.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) told Denver7 that residents and staff members were among those hospitalized but they "cannot share the personal health information of those affected." CDPHE also said that residents who were not picked up by family members were transferred to four other facilities.
Sara Thorp's grandmother is one of the impacted residents. She was moved to nearby Woodland Estates Senior Living.
Thorp said her grandmother's March rent at Eastern Star will allow her to stay at Woodland through the end of the month. Beyond that, the timeline is unclear.
"I've talked to the people at Woodland, and they seem really nice," she said. "They said they're certainly not going to kick her out... I'm grateful for Woodland and taking her in and taking in so many other people. I just wish I would have heard from Eastern Star. It's interesting that still nobody has reached out to me."
Thorp called an Eastern Star staff member on Thursday for an update. Her grandma already had medicine and hygiene products delivered, but Thorp had to drop off other essentials like sheets, towels and a shower curtain. Other personal belongings remain in the now-closed building.
"That's like her everything," said Thorp. "Her antiques and her pictures, and those are the things that she counts on having every day."
Thorp said her family may need to find a new long-term home for their grandma, but they will take it one day at a time.
"My biggest worry is that my grandma feels okay and safe and taken care of," she said.
Eastern Star told Denver7 it is not commenting at this time.
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