Victims Identified In Fatal Pueblo Explosion

PUEBLO – The victims of the deadly blast that rocked Pueblo Thursday afternoon have been identified.

Police report 22-year-old Ashley R. Johnson who was inside the boutiqueprior to theexplosiondied at Parkview Medical Center after she was extricated from the rubble 90 minutes after the blast.

Eugene “Geno” Roney, 74, who police identified and said had been inside the Branch Inn, was trapped in the destruction for more than four hours as crews scrambled to extricate him. He was conscious and talking to rescuers during the extrication and was sent to Parkview, where he is listed in critical condition.

Police identified the other victims transported from the scene to Parkview as Branch co-owner Frank Vigil, 41; Kevin Trujillo, 40; Jennifer Flower, 23; and Nick Stabile, 18.

The explosion happened at the Branch Inn at 301 South Union Avenue in Downtown Pueblo around 2 p.m. Thursday.The explosion rocked the surrounding neighborhood causing windows to blow out in a one block radius.