Owner Says Massive Warehouse Fire In Bitter Cold Started Near Outlet
DENVER (CBS4) – Smoke could be seen for miles around the Denver metro area after a fire broke out at a warehouse Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at the building near 38th Avenue and Revere Street and 39th and Peoria. The flames slowed traffic on nearby Interstate 70.
Authorities had to close 39th Avenue from Peoria to Salem while crews battled the fire.
The brutally cold temperatures were making fighting the fire miserable for the firefighters. Puddles from water used to fight the fire turned into sheets of ice. Plows were called in to put down ice slicer so the fire trucks could still get around.
The fire started at approximately 2 p.m. and crews were still dousing it with water after 5 p.m. It allegedly started near an electrical outlet inside a carpet recycling facility.
The owner of the facility said the fire then spread to a large pile of carpeting and then grew immediately, even after attempting to use a fire extinguisher.
Firefighters arrived at the warehouse shortly after getting the call and were at one point able to get inside the building. But the flames and heat were too intense and firefighters had to retreat back outside into a defensive fight.
"There's a heavy fire load, and when the amount of fire overcomes the amount of water that's being sprayed on it, we're unable to put the fire out that much quicker," Lt. Mike Pylar with Denver Fire said.
Six people were inside when the fire started but were able to escape without injuries.