A woman was seriously burned May 21 from an explosion in her camper parked on the San Juan National Forest near Mancos, according to the Montezuma County Sheriff’s office.
The woman, who is from Florida, suffered second-degree burns on 30% of her body, according to Mancos Fire Department paramedics at the scene. She was airlifted by Flight For Life to Mercy Regional Hospital in Durango, then to a Denver hospital. Her condition was not available.
The explosion, deemed accidental, occurred about 4 a.m. and appeared to have come from a propane leak from a heater that then ignited, according to Sheriff Steve Nowlin.
The homemade camper was attached to a Ford pickup with New Mexico plates and was parked off Forest Service Road 566 northeast of Mancos. The woman, who is the owner of the camper, was the only occupant.
According to the report, propane gas had accumulated inside the closed camper, possibly when the flame and pilot light went out during the night.
The suspected cause of the flash fire occurred when the woman attempted to relight a stove or gas appliance, the report states.
Debris from portions of the camper, including the rear door and wall, as well as contents from the interior, were blown 100 feet from the vehicle. All glass windows on the cab over camper were blown off.
The Mancos Fire Department, Flight for Life, and Montezuma County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident, which was reported with a 911 call.