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Investigation of Bozeman Explosion Complete

By Beacon Staff

BOZEMAN – The investigation of an explosion that rocked downtown Bozeman last week and killed a woman in an art gallery is complete. But city and state officials declined Thursday to release details, pending a court review of the findings.

The results of the investigation are considered “confidential criminal information,” which can’t be released without consent from a District Court judge, Police Chief Mark Tymrak and City Manager Chris Kukulski said.

City officials said District Judge Mike Salvagni was reviewing the report, but he didn’t give permission to release the results Thursday.

NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said earlier this week that the power company was assisting city officials as they searched through the rubble to reconstruct events leading up to the March 5 explosion.

Rapkoch said the utility did not receive any reports of natural gas odors in the 48 hours preceding the explosion, and Bozeman Fire Chief Jason Shrauger says he hadn’t heard any reports of people getting sick from gas fumes prior to the blast.

The explosion crumbled four buildings, destroying Boodles restaurant, Montana Trails Gallery, LillyLu’s children’s store, Tolstedt Architects and the American Legion Hall. Several other nearby businesses suffered significant damage.

A memorial service for Tara Reistad Bowman, 36, who died in the blast, is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Grace Bible Church in Bozeman.