Nearly 20 hurt in Colorado lodge explosion
Propane believed to be at fault
(CNN) -- Nearly 20 people were injured Saturday in an explosion at a secluded mountain lodge near Grand Junction, Colorado, hospital and law enforcement officials said.
Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee said the blast at the Electric Mountain Lodge in Paonia was reported at 2:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET)
The cause may be related to propane gas.
The sheriff said rescuers had to use Flight for Life helicopters and snowmobiles to access the area. The lodge is 9,200 feet up in the Gunnison National Forest and is 17 miles from the nearest road.
About 15 people were taken off the mountain, McKee said. Most were taken to two hospitals.
Some were in serious condition; some had broken bones, the sheriff said.
Spokesmen for St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction and Delta County Memorial Hospital in Delta confirmed that people had been taken there.
Paonia, which is about 60 miles southeast of Grand Junction, is a favorite spot for hunting, fishing, hiking and cross-country skiing. The lodge itself is popular among snowmobile enthusiasts.
