Condo explosion probed

Lynn Doan

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004 | 9:38 a.m.

Though Southwest Gas crews spent most of Tuesday jackhammering open the streets surrounding the remains of a Green Valley condominium that exploded, the workers could not locate the source of an alleged gas leak that caused the explosion.

As of Tuesday evening, Southwest Gas spokesman Roger Buehrer said crews are still "digging things out" of the ground in front of the charred remains of a condo. Located on the 2800 block of Glendevon Circle, the condo belongs to former television reporter and ex-spokeswoman for Las Vegas City Hall, Cathy Hanson. Until a natural gas leak is found, the company is not taking responsibility for the explosion, Buehrer said.

"It's too bad this all happened," Buehrer said. "I don't know if Southwest Gas is responsible. It's all part of the investigation."

Buehrer said Hanson reported that she smelled gas in her house the night before the explosion and checked her gas-powered appliances for leaks but couldn't find one. Neighbors heading to work earlier Tuesday morning said they also smelled gas, but nobody reported it, he said.

Then, just before 6:00 a.m., residents heard a loud explosion and the entire front side of Hanson's house collapsed. Twenty-four Henderson firefighters arrived to find flames shooting from Hanson's garage and up through her roof. Henderson Fire Battalion Chief Gene Bellin said Hanson was able to escape before the fire became too severe.

"If (Hanson) smelled gas, she should have called the company," Buehrer said. "If anyone thinks they smell natural gas, they need to call."

Now, all that is left of Hanson's home off High View Drive and Valle Verde Road is the charred backside.

According to Buehrer, Hanson had been sleeping in the family room at the time of the explosion because she was suffering from "breathing problems." However, he said he did not believe her breathing condition was caused by a natural gas leak.

Damage to the residence was estimated at $350,000, with $250,000 worth of damage to the actual structure and $100,000 to items inside the home, Bellin said.

Buehrer said that if the investigation reveals that Southwest Gas was responsible, the company would work with the city to repair any damages.

He said that he didn't know how long it would take for inspectors to complete the investigation. But a Henderson firefighter sitting nearby said he expected to be at the scene for "quite awhile."

Hanson, who left the scene shortly after the explosion, returned to see what she could salvage from her burnt laptop, only to discover that it had been melted by the fire, Bellin said.

"Apparently, she had some really important stuff in the laptop, and she hadn't made any backup files," he said.

Bellin said Hanson did not mention any pets that might have been trapped in the explosion and, as far as he knew, Hanson was living alone.

If it weren't for four sheetrock walls separating Hanson's house from the house on her right, Bellin said the fire could have easily damaged neighboring properties as well. Instead, Tom and Mary Gumfory, owners of the house next door, said their property only suffered from minor smoke and water damage.

Still, it all made for "a helluva nuisance," Tom Gumfory said as he propped open his screen door to air out his smoky home.

All in all, Bellin said Hanson handled Tuesday's events pretty well.

"I've seen people in worse condition," he said.

Mike Berns, who lives 50 yards from where Hanson's home once stood, said he spotted her wandering aimlessly around her property after the explosion.

"She was pretty shaken," he recounted.

Hanson was former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones' spokeswoman for two years until January 1996, when she became the communications director for the city of Las Vegas. She resigned from her post in September 1999.