A fire in a Boulder multi-story residential building was swiftly addressed and extinguished by Boulder Fire-Rescue last Sunday. According to the City of Boulder, the fire department received reports of a fire at roughly 1:26 a.m. at the intersection of 13th and Broadway. The incident escalated to a second alarm fire by 1:39 a.m., calling into action every on-duty crew and apparatus.
Seven residents were evacuated from the inferno by Boulder Fire-Rescue personnel, but the fire, which had spread within the walls and the attic crawl space of the building was effectively mitigated before any injuries could occur. The building, primarily occupied by students who were away on winter break, has 17 units; however, only three were occupied at the time of the fire. "Fire alarms and sprinklers played an important role in alerting residents of the fire as well as damping the fire before crews could arrive," the fire department acknowledged, as per the City of Boulder.
The firefighting operation continued amidst freezing conditions, which saw first responders negotiating icy ladders and low temperatures to safely extinguish the flames. In the process, Boulder Fire-Rescue was supported by Boulder Emergency Services and Mountain View Fire Rescue, the latter providing aid for concurrent service calls within the city.
A fire investigator was promptly on the scene to determine the cause of the conflagration, though initial findings have ruled out arson and foul play. The affected building has sustained smoke and water damage as well as some structural impairments and is expected to be closed for repair. For more details about the impact on the two businesses within the building and its reopening, queries have been directed to the property manager.
