Arrest made in five-alarm Denver fire that destroyed building under construction on Leetsdale Drive
An arrest has been made in connection with the five-alarm fire at a Denver construction site earlier this month, according to the Denver Fire Department. It was the largest fire in Colorado's capital city in decades, covering an area roughly the size of four football fields.
Investigators allegedly found that 37-year-old Tony Becerra was caught on surveillance images entering and leaving the scene off Leetsdale Drive and Forest Street before the Harker Heights complex caught fire on Jan. 2. He will face arson charges.
They say he inaccurately described himself as homeless in an initial 911 call about the fire.
Becerra was arrested at his home in Aurora. Formal charges have yet to be filed.
The 283 unit building was scheduled to open later this year but it was a total loss, and it affected some businesses nearby.
Crews used 18 million gallons of water on the fire to gain control over the flames.