Colorado, federal officials say cause of Nederland shopping center fire may not be known for several more months
A determination as to the cause of a fire that destroyed a shopping center in Colorado could still be months away, despite that fire having sparked months ago, investigators said on Tuesday.
The fire, which broke out in Nederland in October, destroyed the Caribou Village Shopping Center, which Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson described as "a significant financial resource for the town." The fire was first spotted by a deputy around 3:40 a.m. on Oct. 9. The heat was so considerable, the fire so massive, and the damage so extensive, it took four days before investigators could even get into any of the destroyed structures.
On Oct. 16, the sheriff's office said there was "no credible evidence" that the fire was set intentionally, following a preliminary investigation. Soon after the fire, local fire officials said they needed assistance battling and investigating the fire. A joint effort soon included the sheriff's office, the ATF, the Nederland Fire Protection District, the Boulder County Multi-Agency Fire Investigation Team, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
"Based on ongoing communications with the ATF, Nederland Fire expects additional information regarding the origin and cause of the fire to be released during the summer of 2026," the Nederland Fire Protection District said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
The following businesses were completely destroyed in the fire:
- Nederland Chiropractic & Wellness
- Tres Gringos Restaurant
- Spinning Silica
- O'Neil Rocky Mountain Art
- Kaleidoscope Gallery
- Linda's Pizza
- Dam Liquor
- Tadasana Yoga Studio
- Mountain Man Outdoor Store
- Very Nice Brewing Co.
- Columbine Family Care
- The Laundry Room
- Austina's Winery
- Boulder County Sheriff's Office Substation
- The Shop
- Wild Bear Nature Center
- Brightwood Music
- Picaso Hair Artistry
Cleanup efforts in the shopping center just began this month.
"I feel like we're probably a little bit forgotten up here," one resident and former patron of the plaza said at the time. "A building burns down, there's obviously going to be some toxic things. So, anything toxic in there should have been cleaned up a while ago."
The Nederland Fire Protection District said the ATF is leading the investigation and controls all investigatory records. A spokesperson for the ATF's Denver Field Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.
"The Caribou Village Shopping Center fire has deeply impacted Nederland and the surrounding community," the fire department said. "Determining its cause is vital so we can learn from the event, strengthen our collective understanding, and achieve a measure of closure."
