Residents were forced to evacuate their homes due to a massive fire described as the largest seen in the city in years.
Over 100 firefighters were engaged in battling the blaze on Leetsdale Drive in Denver, Colorado. The fire department chief labeled it as a “major” incident. The fire broke out at 7:45 pm on Friday night (2:45 am Saturday, UK time) in a three-story apartment complex that was under construction. The building has since collapsed.
Robert Murphy, the division chief of operations for Denver Fire, stated, “It’s a significant event. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a three-alarm fire of this magnitude in Denver.”
Due to the intense heat radiating from the fire, some residents of a neighboring apartment complex were advised to evacuate, confirmed emergency services.
The structure was still in the early to mid-stages of construction, containing plastic materials for wrapping and building purposes.
Authorities reported that the fire is currently about 70% contained, but there are still pockets of fire burning within the building.
Firefighters are expected to stay on-site throughout the night to completely extinguish any remaining hot spots. The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.
This incident in Denver follows a tragic fire at a nightclub in Switzerland, which claimed the lives of over 40 people.
A 16-year-old boy and nine of his friends are among those missing after the fire engulfed a ski resort bar during a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Laetitia Brodard expressed her distress, mentioning that she has been searching hospitals for her son Arthur Brodard, who went to Le Constellation in Crans-Montana and hasn’t been seen since Wednesday.
Approximately 1,000 Xcel Energy customers in the vicinity have faced power outages due to the fire.
Sam’s No. 3 Glendale reported losing power at 8:15 pm, leading them to close their business prematurely.
Other fire departments, including Aurora’s, provided assistance to the Denver Fire Department during the firefighting efforts.
Addressing the media near the Cherry Creek area of the city, Mr. Murphy remarked, “The damage is extensive. In a building like this, without fire protection systems such as sprinklers, the fire can spread freely, as was the case here. Our investigators are working diligently to determine the cause.”
Firefighters have been tirelessly spraying water on the flames from ladder trucks for hours, with Denver Water increasing water pressure in the area to support their efforts.
The operation remains ongoing on Leetsdale Drive, where footage shows flames roaring from the site in southeast Denver.
Evacuations of nearby families have been executed, and it has been reported that at least one firefighter sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital.
NEW: A three-alarm fire has broken out in southeast Denver at a large apartment complex under construction at Leetsdale and Holly. Mandatory evacuation notices have been issued to residents in the area. 9NEWS is covering the incident with more updates to follow.
: Grayson Cooper pic.twitter.com/CrbFto0kY5
The Denver Police Department announced the closure of a major thoroughfare in both directions due to the fire’s proximity to the site.
Residents of a nearby apartment building were urged to evacuate due to the intense heat emanating from the fire, as per the fire chief.
The Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management reported significant power outages caused by the fire. An overnight shelter has been opened at an event center in Glendale to accommodate those affected.
More than 100 firefighters are actively combating the blaze at the three-story apartment complex under construction in southeast Denver.
Efforts to extinguish the fire are ongoing more than two hours after it started, according to Robert Murphy, division chief of operations for Denver Fire.
“This is a major incident,” he stated. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a three-al