Woman unharmed when house explodes
Propane may be cause of blast near BarnumBy HANS MADSEN Messenger staff writer
Article Photos
BARNUM - Deb Colby is very lucky.
Wednesday afternoon - while outside taking care of a pair of miniature horses on her small farm at 1167 180th St. north of Barnum - her house exploded.
"I was ready to pick up a hose then all of a sudden kaboom," a visibly shaken Colby said.
The explosion tore siding and insulation off the building, scattering it through the yard and leaving a chunk, with window shutter still attached, in the branches of a tree.
Several windows were broken out and the smell of burnt plastic lingered in the yard afterward.
"Stuff started flying off the house," she said.
Colby is sure that had she been inside the house, the result would have been more than property damage.
"I'd be dead," she said. "God was looking out for me."
Colby said most of the contents of her home were damaged to some extent in the explosion, several pet birds that were inside at the time survived, apparently none the worse for wear.
That she was outside instead of in her office where the worst damage occurred was a stroke of luck as well. She explained that she was considering going inside to do some work on her computer when the explosion occurred.
Barnum Assistant Fire Chief William Busse said he believed it was a propane explosion, but was not sure which appliance had caused the problem or what the source of ignition might have been. Crews were going to remain at the scene to make sure no fires were smoldering. They had shut off the propane at the tank as well.
Colby explained to fire crews that she had been smelling propane fumes in the house since Tuesday evening and had attempted to vent them herself with a window fan.
The recommended procedure is to get out of the home and call 911.
Contact Hans Madsen at (515) 573-2141 or hmadsen@messengernews.net
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countrylife
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09-28-09 1:59 AM
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Iowatransplant I have to agree with u on that about checking it, its a good chance she could of died but she did not and thats a pluse to her and others that she did not.
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IowaTransplant
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09-26-09 1:55 PM
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I am glad Ms. Colby is okay, as there certainly could have been a different headline to this story. But, really people, where has common sense gone? If you smell gas, you get it checked out immediately. Ignoring it is like giving yourself a possible death sentence. Geesh!
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countrylife
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09-26-09 12:31 AM
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Yes she is a smoker and yes she smelled the gas for many days and did not call to get it checked or shut it off at all. I know she really is not that bright anyways I really think if she was smart or bright like most of us she would of called someone to check it and would of shut the gas off at the tank also would not of lit a smoke she is lucky she is alive and it did not do worse and blow the whole property up.
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boatassembler
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09-26-09 12:01 AM
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RUKIDDINGME=moron. He said it; not me!
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hawkfan
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09-25-09 11:08 AM
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People do make mistakes, and I am thankful that she is ok. But the messenger did not do a very good job representing this woman. Could they not have let her finish her smoke before they took her picture.
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RUKIDDINGME
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09-25-09 11:02 AM
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Well I am glad this lady and her birds are alright. But this moron is also happy that she does not live next door to me.
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joenher
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09-25-09 7:48 AM
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bob my guess is since she lives on a ranch style property it would be a wagon wheel called decoration, and someone said something about IQ'S well with all the comments in here all the people who have made comments the IQ'S dont add up to 12, ive yet to hear how sorry someone is for Debs loss, I know this women and shes a very nice lady and im very glad shes ok.....morons
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boatassembler
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09-25-09 12:42 AM
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Opinions yes but they also need class, something many people when commenting here do not have. Kicking someone when they are down is not "having an opinion". It is cruelty and if you think it is okay to do that then you are just as cruel and low class as them. And that is MY opinion!
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BobJohnson
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09-24-09 11:23 PM
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boatass.- people are entitled to their opinion. You say it yourself in past blogs.
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boatassembler
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09-24-09 11:18 PM
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RUKIDDINGME: Tell me you have NEVER made a mistake! This woman lost her home because of a simple mistake. I've seen you print some pretty stupid things here. We all have, myself included. So unless your IQ is over 200 keep your intelligence remarks to yourself. It only shows your arrogance and snob like attitude. I only hope people aren't as cruel to you next time you do something as simple as make a mistake. Definately not a Christian attitude. I believe you owe her an apology.And this goes for all who are bashing this woman. SHAME ON YOU! To the woman who owns this home: You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
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BobJohnson
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09-24-09 10:53 PM
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theres a large wheel up by the house in the picture. I wonder where that came from?
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joenher
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09-24-09 9:01 PM
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you know the funny thing here is, that 90% of you people have to comment behind your computer, you would never say any of these things to the persons face thats the humor in this forum, hoe people can be such cowards behind that computer......well Deb im glad your ok and god was with you, hope all is well with you....for the rest of you cowards.....grow up
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RUKIDDINGME
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09-24-09 8:02 PM
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And thankfully, God looks out for these people!!!
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missermouse
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09-24-09 7:09 PM
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thank annabell and hybernation for being real. mrs.colby is one of my relatives and it thruoghly disgust me that there are people out with no more decency than to be deerogatory of any person dealing with tragedy. There is alot you all don't because it isn't your business. God is the only judge my family worries about and i pray that he forgives 'those of you the shoe fits' for not knowing your own stupidity, pleaSE GROW UP
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RUKIDDINGME
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09-24-09 5:36 PM
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The woman admitted to smelling the gas. Decided to put a fan in the window. That only made the situation worse. Good golly, miss molly. Yes, the lack of brain cells was probably at work here.
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hybernation
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09-24-09 5:07 PM
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because somebody has a bad habbit doesnt mean they deserve bad things to happen & doesnt make anybody else a better person than they are there's too many negative people in this world like you people who are putting this lady down, that's why this world is such a bad place.
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hybernation
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09-24-09 5:04 PM
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so she's smoking a cigarette? i didnt see where it said that cigarette she's smoking blew up her house, to those of you who are basdhing her smoking... so she smokes get over it. are any of you over wieght? when we see an article saying you had a heart attack we will say ahhh he/she didnt watch their cholesterol instake,or consumed too much alcohol,etc...sigh
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hybernation
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09-24-09 4:57 PM
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i agree with annabel***ad people who make negative comments do it to make themselves look better
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hybernation
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09-24-09 4:48 PM
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RUKIDDINGME? you too why do you say "*******"? because this woman lives out in the country,& smokes? that doesn't make you any better of a person than she is, that is so rude of people who think they are better than other people & think their*****dont stink!
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hybernation
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09-24-09 4:43 PM
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FDGolfer why do you say call jeff foxworthy? do you think you are better than this woman? because? you live in the city, & have a membership to a ritsy country club?
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hybernation
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09-24-09 4:39 PM
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the article says The explosion tore siding and insulation off the building, scattering it through the yard i thought it was her house that exploded? or was it an outter building?
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hybernation
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09-24-09 4:34 PM
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not always do you smell l.p. gas when you have a small gas leak.especially if you have your windows open. my parent's pilot light on their stove went out once leaking gas & i was the only 1 who could smell it. if it's slowly leaking @ first you prob. get used to the smell to where you don't noticew it,also since she is a smoker her sence of smell might not be as good as a non smokers, we had a gas leak in our basement that i was the only 1 who could smell it ONLY when i went down there that we could never figure out where it was coming from, & don't know how long it had been leaking until my husband moved our stove, & had to do something with the gas line is finally how he found out it was leaking. i bet it was leaking for well over a year, a small slow leak in our basement where we rarely spend time.
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FDGolfer
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09-24-09 3:55 PM
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She freaking smoking in the picture above, my goodness.
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annabellsdad
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09-24-09 3:55 PM
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Ok I just looked at the picture and she is holding a cigarette so she must be a smoker, I apologize for that but everything else I stand by.
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FDGolfer
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09-24-09 3:54 PM
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If this was me I would politely decline that the story be put in the paper. Does gas fumes kill brain cells?
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