BOZEMAN, Mont. – After the explosion that claimed one life and 8 downtown businesses, it took a community effort to restore Bozeman’s 200 block of Main Street.
(Editor’s note: This is part 4 of a 4-part series)
In the days and weeks after the blast, it was no sure bet that Bozeman’s downtown would return to its former glory.
Jeff Krauss/Bozeman City Commission:
“There are a lot of towns where they don’t recover from these large explosions,” said Bozeman City Commissioner Jeff Krauss.
Left in a pile of rubble along the 200 block of Main Street or severely damaged, were The American Legion Hall, Boodles, LillyLu, Montana Trails Gallery, Pickle Barrel, Rocky Mountain Rug, The Rocking R, Starky’s and Tolstedt Architects.
“If you drive down Main Street today it’s hard to imagine what was sitting there ten years ago,” said Steve White, former Gallatin County Commissioner.
“Within a year, 5 of the 8 businesses that had to close down because of the event had reopened, all of them downtown,” said Chris Naumann, Downtown Bozeman Partnership.
Nearly everyone we spoke with has high praise for the American Legion Post. After all, they were the first ones to rebuild and set the example for the entire block.
“And that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone,” said Krauss. “These are the guys that are trained to run towards the sound of gunfire. For them to run in and plant the flag in Bozeman, set the tone for how Bozeman was going to move forward from this.”
“There was a concerted effort and a strategic plan to basically reopen downtown,” said Naumann.
A television advertisement that was seen as rebuilding efforts were underway stated: “ We’ll always have that vibe and that sort of heartbeat of a great local downtown where people are just driven to.”
NorthWestern Energy paid for television ads, but business owners credit the people of Bozeman with powering the comeback, starting on day one.
“We didn’t even have to ask and there were flatbeds of plywood showing up, before nightfall every window was boarded up and secure,” said Naumann.
“It became a team effort for the people of Bozeman as people showed up and brought food,” said Krauss.
“(It) Brings people together and you create a stronger bond,” said Rocking R Owner Mike Hope. “I think I’m closer to the community as a result of what happened, and you don’t take that for granted.”
In the aftermath of the blast, downtown business people also came closer together.
“The entire community downtown just came together to help and heal one another,” said NorthWestern Energy’s Heather Bellamy.
“It felt like if we could be supporting each other, the rest would follow,” said Deirdre Quinn, Owner of Indulgence.
“We never paid any attention to our neighbors before, and it was kind of amazing, but now it’s like everybody helps us and we help them,” said Len Albright, American Legion Post.
That first year after the explosion, the American Legion began a new tradition for Bozeman, a Memorial Day parade, reportedly a first since 1964.
Now the last building is going up to fill the gap left by the blast. That’s something even the newest business owner on the block is happy to see.
“Everyone’s really excited to see it done and finally have those two spaces built back up,” said Ashley Cole, Owner of Ashley Cole Boutique.
To a person, there is praise for law enforcement, all the fire departments that responded even the municipal workers and Northwestern Energy crews who stepped up after the explosion.
“I was very impressed with the first responders,” said White.
“Even with the loss, to be a part of that team, you know, everybody should be proud of the way we served the community that day,” said Mark Lachapelle, former Bozeman Police Deputy Chief.
While some may have questioned the future of the downtown after the explosion, Chris Naumann never wavered.
“I was extremely confident of, literally the power of this place, and the strength of the community,” he said.
While many single out Naumann as the guiding hand of the recovery, he demurs, saying it was a group effort. This Sunday at 6:30 a.m. on KBZK and KXLF-TV, you can see an in-depth episode of the explosion with extended interviews on this week’s edition of Face the State.
Part 3 of a 4-part series
BOZEMAN, Mont. – While the loss of just one life seems like a miracle after an event as devastating as the Bozeman explosion, the fact that there was that one victim seems to highlight her loss even more.
36-year-old Tara Bowman was killed in the blast, and her loss has left a lasting mark on many in the community.
“Because of the loss of Tara, this community will never, ever get past the Bozeman explosion,” said Heather Bellamy with NorthWestern Energy.
“In a certain way, maybe she’s the angel that saved everybody else. That’s my thought,” added Rocking R Owner Mike Hope.
Those who knew Tara describe her as a radiant light in the downtown community.
“She would walk into a room and the place would light up,” said Bellamy.
“Ohhhh, anybody who knew Tara would say that she probably had the prettiest smile,” Deidre Quinn, owner of Indulgence said.
“You know, I remember that she always had a smile on her face,” said Hope.
Quinn also said of Tara, “She just brought light everywhere up and down Main Street.”
First responders, including former Bozeman Police Captain Mark Lachapelle, were distraught they couldn’t find Tara.
“There was no way for us to get detectives or fire crews into that area,” Lachapelle said. “From the very first moment that we responded there was no way to get to her and that, that’s a part that’s so hard — for all of us.”
Others who knew and worked with Tara Bowman shared their memories.
“Tara Bowman’s loss of life was a really big deal, and it still is,” Bozeman Assistant City Manager Chuck Winn said.
“To this day we sort of memorialize that site in her memory with the flower baskets that we hang seasonally and we have a sign right there in front of the site,” said Chris Naumann, Downtown Bozeman Partnership Executive Director.
It’s a memory shared by many on Main Street.
“She was very much a quiet part of the glue to downtown,” Quinn said.
Bellamy said there will “always be a hole in the hearts of the people that knew and loved her.”
Family members invited KBZK’s Donna Kelley to their home, where Tara’s mother waited.
“That was just awful. It was just awful,” Kelley said. “I can still see that house, sitting in that living room and that family gathered around her. And, she seemed to me to be so in shock. As a mother to a mother, I wanted to just weep with her.”
Instead of making a TV spectacle of the family’s sorrow, Donna Kelley took a quick statement, shared her condolences and left. But she was haunted by what she saw.
“It’s hard to even let yourself go there as a mother, to even think of losing a child. Even though Tara was in her thirties, they’re always your baby. They’re always your baby,” said Kelley.
In Part 4: Rebuilding downtown after the blast
Part 2
At ground zero, just before the blast, one survivor, the Legion Hall Manager, actually tried to sound a warning.
Tom Jones had driven his vehicle down the alleyway when he smelled the odor of gas.
According to Len Albright of the American Legion, Jones “went downstairs and dialed 9, 1 — and as soon as he was ready to hit 1 again, kaboom!”
“We were about to order food with a friend of mine and all of a sudden it just exploded, and it shook for two seconds, and the lights went out,” said former KBZK Reporter Karen Matsumoto.
Rocking R Owner Mike Hope had a different reaction: “Oh my God, what happened?”
Former County Commissioner Steve White said no one could comprehend the level of destruction. Former Bozeman Police Captain Mark LaChapelle added that “initially they didn’t know the location.”
That was because people all over town called to say it had happened in their neighborhood.
“Literally you could feel it under your feet,” said Indulgence owner Deidre Quinn.
When people started to see the destruction, it was overwhelming.
“And I remember when we turned left on Main Street. I remember it like it was yesterday,” Mike Hope said. “And it was surreal, to be honest with you.”
Graver Johnson with the Bozeman Fire Department agreed — “Really, umm, surreal,” he said — as did Deidre Quinn, who described the scene as “bizarre” and “apocalyptic”.
“Debris was in the air, it was falling down,” Johnson said.
Bozeman City Commissioner Jeff Krauss said the blast wave “bounced down the street and blew out the windows on opposite sides of the street as it bounced.”
“Glass was all over in the roadway,” Johnson said.
“There was something that looked like a, the world’s largest acetylene torch, just blowing blue flame out of this big pipe,” added Krauss.
Back in the Legion Hall, Tom Jones just wanted to escape.
“Crawled up the stairs. Got outside and a fireman was running down the street towards him, still putting his jacket on and he said, ‘Are you all right?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ And he said, ‘Get on over to the fire station’,” Len Albright said.
There were other close calls. The owner of Carter’s had just gone inside after shoveling snow. The Rocking R’s bookkeeper went to the owner’s other business that morning.
“Everyone was kind of dazed because nobody really knew what was going on,” said Johnson.
“It was definitely frightening, especially when you don’t know what’s caused it quite yet,” said KBZK News Anchor Donna Kelley.
Hawthorne Elementary was evacuated. Children and staff were taken to the public library.
“I, I think the first thought was to make sure everybody was ok,” said Hope.
Added Johnson: “We didn’t know who, how many were injured, what was going on.”
Jeff Krauss: “We were so worried, how many people we couldn’t get in touch with.”
Steve White: “It was the time of day when there are a lot of deliveries going on in the alleys.”
LaChapelle recalled expecting multiple injuries and fatalities — but the cold, snowy morning became a life saver.
“I talked to numerous people that were like, ‘Yeah, I was 15 minutes late, I was 30 minutes late’,” said Chris Naumann with the Downtown Bozeman Partnership.
Timing was everything.
“It could have occurred at noon. It could have occurred at five o’clock in the evening. It could have been much, much worse,” Steve White said.
Initially, about 15 people were unaccounted for. Eventually, all were found safe. Except for one. Tara Bowman. She was killed in the explosion.
In Part 3: Memories of Tara Bowman
Part 1 –
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Tuesday will mark the 10th anniversary of the worst disaster to strike downtown Bozeman.
A gas explosion rocked the 200 block, killing one woman, flattening three buildings and rendering four others unsafe. The calamity came with no warning.
“I was getting ready to go to work,” said Len Albright of the American Legion Post.
“That morning was just an ordinary morning for us,” said Steve White. White was chairman of the Gallatin County Commission. “We were getting ready to start an office meeting.”
Lots of meetings were about to get underway.
“We had a crew that was working out of our Three Forks shop, and I was out there for a safety meeting that morning,” said Pat Patterson with NorthWestern Energy.
“I’m driving into work, actually, with the city manager,” said Bozeman Assistant City Manager Chuck Winn.
Kids, like Chris Naumann’s young son, were heading to school. “Got him out the door and he was walking down the street to Irving,” said Naumann.
It was a day kids could love.
“It was a very snowy day that day,” said former mayor Jeff Krauss.
“I was out shoveling snow,” said Bozeman Fire Department’s Graver Johnson.
“Everybody had a slow start that day,” said Krauss.
A slow start that in time would prove to be life-saving.
“In the Law and Justice Center we felt the blast, as many people did around Bozeman,” said former Bozeman Police Captain Mark Lachapelle.
Even after the blast, most people were struggling to comprehend what was happening.
Albright said he saw a plume of smoke as he was coming over the hill near Bozeman Deaconess Hospital and was trying to get his bearings.
“Hmmm,” Albright remembers thinking, “that looks like it might be downtown.”
Just west of the blast, White had an incredibly unique vantage point.
“I just happened to be looking straight out the windows just at the time of the explosion,” he said. White didn’t know what he was seeing.
“I thought that it was maybe something with a propane tank at the new parking lot that they were building,” White said.
Over at the Fire Station on 19th, Johnson was also confused. “It didn’t come over our radios or our pagers,” he said.
A fire captain downtown heard the blast and made a phone call to the station, “and said ‘hey, we have some type of blast, you want to start heading this way,’” said Johnson.
Johnson and his crew were heading to Bozeman’s biggest disaster ever with little information and no idea of what was ahead.
“I remember turning on Main Street and heading down,” said Johnson. It was then that he began to understand what was going on.
“The smoke rising and everything, and that’s when we were trying to put it all together,” Johnson said.
Just then, life had changed forever in Downtown Bozeman.
