MARCH 12, 2015
CANON CITY, COLO. (AP)
A man accused of sparking a natural gas explosion at his
Canon City home in an attempt to commit suicide will undergo a psychiatric
evaluation before entering a plea.
The Canon City Daily Record reports Mathew Christensen, who
is facing charges of fourth-degree arson and felony criminal mischief, is
scheduled for a preliminary hearing April 8.
Investigators say the Sept. 4 explosion, which was caused by
a natural gas detonation, threw Christensen into the backyard.
The house was
destroyed, but the man escaped with non-life-threatening burns.
Nearby homes and vehicles were damaged, and insulation and debris
from the exploded home was strewn across the neighborhood and in nearby
streets.