SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Federal agents are deploying a team to Summit County after a deadly vehicle explosion early Friday morning.
The vehicle was found ablaze at the Upper Straight Creek Trailhead at around 7 a.m. near the Dillon Valley neighborhood after deputies received several reports of an explosion, smoke and fire in the area, according to a spokesperson from the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.
Summit County officials, including Summit Fire & EMS, along with Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District, were sent to investigate the incident.
A man inside the vehicle was declared dead at the scene after first responders extinguished the flames. His identity will be released once family has been notified and his official cause and manner of death has been determined.
The Straight Creek Trailhead will remain closed while investigators examine the scene and ensure the area is safe for public use, a spokesperson with the sheriff’s office said in a news release later Friday.
It’s expected the investigation will continue throughout the day and possibly into next week, the spokesperson said.
“We have brought together a team of experts to determine exactly what happened,” said Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons. “What we know right now is that a person has died, and our thoughts are with their loved ones as we work to find out exactly what happened.”
Officials said that at this time, the fire and explosion appear to be an isolated incident, and there is no elevated risk to public safety outside the scene.
At the request of Summit County officials, the ATF field office in Denver deployed two ATF special certified fire investigators and one special agent certified explosive specialist to help in the investigation.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Summit County Sheriff’s Office through non-emergency dispatch at 970-668-8600.
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