BRAZOS, N.M. -- Investigators have determined the explosion last week that killed a former fire chief and leveled a fire station was caused by Mother Nature.
Michael Hays, who had stepped aside as chief only days earlier, was killed in the blast at the Brazos Canyon Volunteer Fire Department.
A team of investigators concluded that snow that fell off the roof caused a break in the propane line that entered the station, Chief T.J. Allard reported.
"There was enough snow covering the line that the propane was not able to escape into the air. The only path for the propane was into the station," he said in a prepared statement.
The investigators determined that the initiation point for the explosion was behind the electrical service panel.
"They also believe that Michael entered the station, smelled the propane and raised the door to Bay 1. They believe that Michael then entered the office area, and proceeded into the storage room to cut off power to the station. They believe that an arc occurred when Michael opened the main breaker and that arc initiated the explosion," he told members.
Allard said investigators determined the explosion to be an accident related to an act of nature.
The New Mexico State Police, ATF, state and county fire marshals were involved in the probe.
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