Bozeman Explosion

  • Gallatin Commission gives initial OK for loan to rebuild at explosion site Play Video

    June 1, 2010

    The Gallatin County Commission gave preliminary approval for a request for a tax exempt bond to rebuild the Bozeman blast site. The loan will be used to rebuild at the site where the Rockin R Bar and Montana Trails Gallery used to be. The county had to review the... more »
  • Bozeman explosion lawsuits continue to pile up

    June 1, 2010

    (Photo from day of the explosion) The lawsuits against NorthWestern Energy over the 2009 downtown explosion continue to mount. Most recently, a group of artists whose work was destroyed inside the Montana Trails Gallery filed suit, as did the insurance companies of a number of business owners on... more »
  • City grants American Legion money to rebuild after explosion Play Video

    May 18, 2010

    Bozeman's American Legion building, which was destroyed in the 2009 downtown explosion, will receive a grant totaling more than $30,000 to rebuild. Bozeman City Commissioners approved the grant at their Monday night meeting. Over the weekend, members of the American Legion were scattered across town, raising money for... more »
  • American Legion raising funds to rebuild after Bozeman explosion Play Video

    May 17, 2010

    Members of the American Legion could be found all around downtown this weekend, raising funds for their new building. Construction costs for the new building, which was destroyed in the March 2009 explosion, are roughly $750,000, more than the insurance proceeds. In order to raise some funds to make... more »
  • American Legion holding raffle to help rebuild after Bozeman explosion

    May 14, 2010

    Saturday is Armed Forced Day, a time set aside to honor the volunteer men and women who serve to protect our country. One way to support the troops and veterans right here at home is in the rebuilding of the American Legion on Main Street. The building was destroyed... more »
  • Bozeman accepts explosion settlement from NorthWestern Energy

    April 19, 2010

    Bozeman City Commissioners voted to accept a nearly $164,000 settlement from NorthWestern Energy regarding the March 5, 2009 downtown explosion. The settlement covers incremental costs incurred by the city due to the blast, including overtime pay and extra staff needed for response and immediate cleanup. Commissioner Chris Mehl said... more »
  • NorthWestern offers settlement with Bozeman over downtown explosion

    April 15, 2010

    NorthWestern Energy has agreed to a settlement with the City of Bozeman over the March 5, 2009 downtown explosion. Approval of the nearly $163,624 settlement awaits Bozeman City Commission approval on Monday. NorthWestern has offered to pay for the Bozeman's incremental costs for the blast. This includes all overtime... more »
  • Five more lawsuits filed against NorthWestern Energy for Bozeman explosion

    April 12, 2010

    The number of lawsuits against NorthWestern Energy for last year's downtown explosion continues to grow with five new complaints filed by State Farm Insurance on behalf of its clients. The plaintiffs include the owner of the Home Page Café on Main Street, an attorney whose office was damaged, the... more »
  • Artist sues NorthWestern Energy for art lost in Bozeman explosion

    April 1, 2010

    An artist is suing NorthWestern Energy for artwork lost in the March 5, 2009 explosion in downtown Bozeman. Shirley Cleary's paintings were on consignment at the Montana Trails Gallery when it was destroyed in the explosion. The area near the gallery was the epicenter of the blast, which was... more »
  • Farmers Insurance, Starky's sue NW Energy over Bozeman explosion

    March 11, 2010

    NorthWestern Energy now faces more than a dozen lawsuits over Bozeman's downtown explosion. Farmers Union Mutual Insurance filed the 14th suit against the utility company this week. According to court documents, the company insured several businesses on or near Main Street which had property damaged on March 5,... more »
  • Bozeman commissioners allocate nearly $1M to property owners affected by explosion Play Video

    March 8, 2010

    Bozeman Commissioners divied out nearly $1 million in federal grants to property owners affected by the March 5, 2009 downtown explosion. The biggest chunk of the grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development goes to the F&H Building, which will replace the space formerly occupied by the... more »
  • Bozeman explosion: City gathers for moment of silence on one-year anniversary Play Video

    March 5, 2010

    One year, one hour and 48 minutes after a natural gas explosion that toppled several downtown Bozeman buildings and ignited half a block of Main Street in a fire that would burn for almost a day, the Bozeman community treaded through wet streets to gather at the site and mark... more »
  • Montana Trails Gallery sues NW Energy over Bozeman explosion

    March 4, 2010

    Another lawsuit is filed claiming NorthWestern Energy and one of its senior managers is responsible for the March 5, 2009 explosion. On Thursday, Steve Zabel, owner of the Montana Trails Gallery, filed his civil suit against the utility company for negligence. He joins 10 other business owners and... more »
  • Bozeman explosion: NW Energy talks about safety, customer satisfaction

    March 4, 2010

    A year after the fatal natural gas explosion in downtown Bozeman, NorthWestern Energy is facing numerous lawsuits, but the company says its lines and Bozeman are safe. As the one-year anniversary of the explosion draws closer, NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch talk about the blast. "And to date,... more »
  • Bozeman explosion: How social media kept people informed Play Video

    March 3, 2010

    On the morning of March 5, 2009 Philip Downer and David Howlett at Manifest Creative in Four Corners had just sat down to check their social media profiles when they heard the news - there was an explosion in downtown Bozeman. It was too early in the moments after the... more »
  • MT PSC: NW Energy misread map, delaying shut-off of natural gas during explosion

    March 3, 2010

    Nearly a year after March 5 explosion in downtown Bozeman, state officials are saying NorthWestern Energy crews misread a map of the utility company's pipes in downtown, causing a delay in shutting off the natural gas leak that continued to fuel a large fire after the blast. The Montana... more »
  • Bozeman explosion: First responders remember the day

    March 2, 2010

    On Friday a year will have passed since the unthinkable happened in downtown Bozeman. Firefighters and police spend many hours each year preparing for possible disasters, and on March 5, 2009 that training was put into action. Each year, first responders train for worst case scenarios, helping them to... more »
  • Bozeman Explosion: In the first minutes Play Video

    March 1, 2010

    Nearly a year after the downtown Bozeman explosion, the gaping hole on East Main Street has become a part of the local landscape. The story of the city's biggest catastrophe has moved into our shared history. But during the 8 o'clock hour of March 5, 2009, half a city... more »
  • Looking back: Lawsuits filed in wake of Bozeman explosion

    February 26, 2010

    In one week, the community of Bozeman will mark the one-year anniversary of the downtown explosion with a moment of silence. Meanwhile, NorthWestern Energy has been dealing with the deafening sound of a growing number of lawsuits that blame the utility company for the blast. As the dust settled... more »
  • Community asked to take part in moment of silence for March 5 explosion

    February 22, 2010

    The Downtown Bozeman Partnership is inviting people to observe a moment of silence at 10 a.m. Friday, March 5 to honor and remember the losses experienced in the downtown explosion one year ago. Anyone who is in downtown Bozeman at 10 a.m. March 5 is invited to step outside... more »
  • State Farm sues NorthWestern over Bozeman explosion

    February 4, 2010

    Another lawsuit has been filed against NorthWestern Energy for the March 5, 2009 explosion in downtown Bozeman that claimed the life of a Bozeman woman and leveled half a city block. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company filed a lawsuit against the utility company in Gallatin County District Court,... more »
  • 10th lawsuit filed against NorthWestern Energy for March 5 blast

    December 24, 2009

    BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - A 10th lawsuit has been filed against NorthWestern Energy over the March 5 natural-gas explosion that killed one woman and destroyed half a city block. Sanks Family Limited Partnership, which owns one of the Main Street buildings affected by the blast, sued the company and Leonard... more »
  • Bozeman explosion lawsuits may not go to trial until 2011 Play Video

    November 24, 2009

    It could be more than a year before any of the seven lawsuits filed against NorthWestern Energy in the downtown Bozeman explosion go to trial. Attorneys for both sides met Tuesday afternoon to discuss scheduling. Under the timeline set Tuesday, none of the lawsuits against NorthWestern would likely be... more »
  • Rockin R Bar owner files lawsuit against NW Energy for explosion

    November 2, 2009

    The owner of the Rockin R Bar in Bozeman says he took a $4 million hit the day of the downtown explosion and is the latest plaintiff to sue NorthWestern Energy for negligence. Ralph Ferraro's Rockin R Bar was a mainstay on Main Street for more than 60 years and... more »
  • Rockin R Bar owner files lawsuit against NW Energy for explosion

    November 2, 2009

    The owner of the Rockin R Bar in Bozeman says he took a $4 million hit the day of the downtown explosion and is the latest plaintiff to sue NorthWestern Energy for negligence. Ralph Ferraro's Rockin R Bar was a mainstay on Main Street for more than 60 years and... more »
  • Rug Gallery owner sues NorthWestern Energy over Bozeman explosion Play Video

    October 19, 2009

    A fourth lawsuit has been filed against NorthWestern Energy, claiming the utility company is to blame for the deadly March 5 explosion in downtown Bozeman that claimed one life and destroyed half a city block. In his complaint, Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery owner Jalal Neishabouri accuses NorthWestern Energy and its... more »
  • Rug Gallery owner files for bankruptcy in wake of Bozeman explosion Play Video

    October 19, 2009

    One of the Main Street business owners suing NorthWestern is now seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. According to court documents filed in federal bankruptcy court in Butte, Jalal Neishabouri of the Rocky Mountain Rug Gallery owes between $10 million and $50 million to a number of creditors. The Rug Gallery... more »
  • Building damaged in Bozeman explosion to come down

    October 14, 2009

    Bozeman commissioners have approved Chris Pope's application for a permit to demolish his family's historic property on Main Street. The 127-year-old building was severely damaged in the March 5 th downtown explosion, and engineers say it is structurally unsound. It housed Starkey's Deli and the Rocky Mountain Toy Company, with... more »
  • Building damaged in Bozeman explosion to come down

    October 14, 2009

    Bozeman commissioners have approved Chris Pope's application for a permit to demolish his family's historic property on Main Street. The 127-year-old building was severely damaged in the March 5 th downtown explosion, and engineers say it is structurally unsound. It housed Starkey's Deli and the Rocky Mountain Toy Company, with... more »
  • Historic Bozeman building owner asking city for OK to demolish after explosion

    October 8, 2009

    The deadly March 5 explosion took the life of a Bozeman woman, crumbled four buildings in Bozeman's downtown and left many other structures severely damaged. Now, the owner of one of those historic buildings wants the city's permission to demolish one of Main Street's oldest pieces of architecture. Chris Pope... more »
  • Historic Bozeman building owner asking city for OK to demolish after explosion

    October 8, 2009

    The deadly March 5 explosion took the life of a Bozeman woman, crumbled four buildings in Bozeman's downtown and left many other structures severely damaged. Now, the owner of one of those historic buildings wants the city's permission to demolish one of Main Street's oldest pieces of architecture. Chris Pope... more »
  • Second lawsuit filed against NW Energy for Bozeman explosion Play Video

    September 24, 2009

    A second lawsuit has been filed against NorthWestern Energy, blaming the utility company for a natural gas explosion that killed one Bozeman woman and destroyed four downtown buildings. In a lawsuit filed Thursday, Sept. 24 in Gallatin County District Court, owners who lost buildings and businesses in the March 5... more »
  • Documentary focusing on Bozeman explosion to be shown in Seattle

    September 4, 2009

    On the six-month anniversary of the Bozeman downtown explosion, a group of people about 700 miles away with learn about the tragedy that shook the city on March 5. This weekend the One Reel Film Festival in Seattle will show a short film based on the explosion. The seven-and-a-half minute... more »
  • Documentary focusing on Bozeman explosion to be shown in Seattle

    September 4, 2009

    On the six-month anniversary of the Bozeman downtown explosion, a group of people about 700 miles away with learn about the tragedy that shook the city on March 5. This weekend the One Reel Film Festival in Seattle will show a short film based on the explosion. The seven-and-a-half minute... more »
  • Six months pass since Bozeman explosion Play Video

    September 4, 2009

    It has been six months since a tiny gap in a gas line violently altered the face of Bozeman's downtown. At 8:12 a.m. on March 5, that small two-inch separation in a NorthWestern Energy service line between the main gas line and a meter for the Montana Trails Gallery on... more »
  • Six months pass since Bozeman explosion Play Video

    September 4, 2009

    It has been six months since a tiny gap in a gas line violently altered the face of Bozeman's downtown. At 8:12 a.m. on March 5, that small two-inch separation in a NorthWestern Energy service line between the main gas line and a meter for the Montana Trails Gallery on... more »
  • NW CEO: 'External forces' caused gas line crack in March 5 explosion

    August 24, 2009

    It has been nearly six months since a natural gas explosion rocked Bozeman's downtown, killing one local woman and leveling four buildings. While an investigation continues to determine the circumstances that led to a deadly March 5 explosion, officials with NorthWestern Energy say they believe the utility company is not... more »
  • NW CEO: 'External forces' caused gas line crack in March 5 explosion

    August 24, 2009

    It has been nearly six months since a natural gas explosion rocked Bozeman's downtown, killing one local woman and leveling four buildings. While an investigation continues to determine the circumstances that led to a deadly March 5 explosion, officials with NorthWestern Energy say they believe the utility company is not... more »
  • NW spokesman to discuss problems with gas lines

    August 3, 2009

    Months after an explosion rocked downtown Bozeman, NorthWestern Energy is working to fix problems with the city's gas lines. A big factor that hampered efforts to fight the fire after the March 5 explosion was the inability to get the gas shut off in the immediate area because of a... more »
  • NW spokesman to discuss problems with gas lines

    August 3, 2009

    Months after an explosion rocked downtown Bozeman, NorthWestern Energy is working to fix problems with the city's gas lines. A big factor that hampered efforts to fight the fire after the March 5 explosion was the inability to get the gas shut off in the immediate area because of a... more »
  • Plastic piping being laid in area of Bozeman explosion Play Video

    June 24, 2009

    On March 5, 2009, the steel gas line running behind the Montana Trails Art Gallery caused an explosion large enough to destroy four buildings. Evidence suggests external forces caused the rigid pipe to bow and crack, filling the buildings with gas in a matter of hours or days. Steel pipes... more »
  • Plastic piping being laid in area of Bozeman explosion Play Video

    June 24, 2009

    On March 5, 2009, the steel gas line running behind the Montana Trails Art Gallery caused an explosion large enough to destroy four buildings. Evidence suggests external forces caused the rigid pipe to bow and crack, filling the buildings with gas in a matter of hours or days. Steel pipes... more »
  • Healing ceremony held to mark Bozeman explosion Play Video

    June 1, 2009

    Nearly three months after a devastating explosion shook downtown Bozeman, dozens of people trekked to the city's Main Street Sunday to unite in the wake of the deadly blast and celebrate the city's life and legacy. Clutching signs and umbrellas, pushing strollers and holding hands, people participated in healing walks... more »
  • Healing ceremony held to mark Bozeman explosion Play Video

    June 1, 2009

    Nearly three months after a devastating explosion shook downtown Bozeman, dozens of people trekked to the city's Main Street Sunday to unite in the wake of the deadly blast and celebrate the city's life and legacy. Clutching signs and umbrellas, pushing strollers and holding hands, people participated in healing walks... more »
  • NW Energy to host open house at Bozeman office

    April 23, 2009

    NorthWestern Energy is inviting local residents, business owners and community leaders to a Wednesday open house at the company's temporary office in downtown Bozeman. The open house will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the office at 308 E. Main Street. Representatives including President and CEO Bob... more »
  • NW Energy to host open house at Bozeman office

    April 23, 2009

    NorthWestern Energy is inviting local residents, business owners and community leaders to a Wednesday open house at the company's temporary office in downtown Bozeman. The open house will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the office at 308 E. Main Street. Representatives including President and CEO Bob... more »
  • Disaster assistance available in Bozeman, Whitehall

    April 2, 2009

    The U.S. Small Business Administration is stepping up to help businesses affected by disasters in Bozeman and Whitehall last month. The agency is offering working capital loans of up to $2 million in an effort to get businesses back on their feet and help most private, non-profit organizations meet immediate... more »
  • Disaster assistance available in Bozeman, Whitehall

    April 2, 2009

    The U.S. Small Business Administration is stepping up to help businesses affected by disasters in Bozeman and Whitehall last month. The agency is offering working capital loans of up to $2 million in an effort to get businesses back on their feet and help most private, non-profit organizations meet immediate... more »
  • Bozeman explosion cost detailed

    March 30, 2009

    The March 5th explosion that rocked downtown Bozeman, killing a 36-year-old woman and destroying several buildings has cost the city more than $276,000. Bozeman Finance Director Anna Rosenberry said the city will submit a claim in the next few weeks seeking reimbursement from NorthWestern Energy. NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch... more »
  • Bozeman explosion cost detailed

    March 30, 2009

    The March 5th explosion that rocked downtown Bozeman, killing a 36-year-old woman and destroying several buildings has cost the city more than $276,000. Bozeman Finance Director Anna Rosenberry said the city will submit a claim in the next few weeks seeking reimbursement from NorthWestern Energy. NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch... more »

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