FIREFIGHTERS, XCEL MADE VISITS TO SITE OF EXPLOSION

AURORA» Firefighters and Xcel Energy crews responded to Heather Gardens, a senior residential community, twice on consecutive days just before a deadly gas-leak explosion and fire that killed an octogenarian.

Firefighters were called to the 200-acre complex, east of I-225 and south of East Iliff Avenue, 25 times since May 29 for a variety of reasons, according to records.

Of those calls, six were on reports of outside natural gas leaks; one was on an interior natural gas leak; and 10 calls were on reports of smoke or odor with no fire. The 10 smoke or odor calls do not specify whether the odor was natural gas.

Killed in the Nov. 16 fire was 82-year-old Carol Ross. Firefighters were called to Heather Gardens eight times in November, four times before the explosion, and four times subsequently. Of the four calls prior, two, on Nov. 13 and 14, were on reports of an outside natural gas leak, according to records.

Xcel Energy officials have not provided a list of calls for service for this story. They have, however, reviewed the Aurora Fire Rescue list and said “our visits match up with those they have reported, specifically noted as gas leaks.”

Xcel confirmed Friday that the fire rescue list “includes four events where Xcel Energy responded to a natural gas leak and made repairs.”