The aftermath of a large fire that blazed through an under-construction Denver apartment complex continues to affect local businesses and challenge firefighters with ongoing hot spots. The fire, which began Friday night at the Harker Heights development set to open in May, required the evacuation of the establishment, Inga's Alpine Bar, across from the blaze, as told by employee Peter McKnabb to CBS News Colorado, "I have not seen a fire like that, ever, that up close. It was- it was massive."
Despite the security presence at the property, it was a passerby who called 9-1-1 to report the rapidly spreading fire. More than 150 firefighters from multiple agencies had to quickly join forces to manage the situation, as reported by CBS News Colorado. The Denver Fire Department has been working meticulously to fully extinguish the fire, which continues to smolder beneath debris. As efforts persist, Leetsdale Drive's traffic has been significantly disrupted, impeding local commerce.
In the fire's wake, businesses like Inga's have lost power and internet services, further hampered by road closures and a slowdown in customer traffic. McKnabb expressed the impact on business operations, detailing that the bar now operates on a cash-only basis with limited access to electronic transactions. Furthermore, the Denver Fire Department acknowledged in a press conference that intense heat from the blaze resulted in partial melting of siding on a nearby home, while reports of a firework going off near the burning site also surfaced.
The situation escalated to such a degree that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) deployed its National Response Team (NRT) to assist with the intricate investigation, Denver Fire Division Chief of Operations Robert Murphy shared in a statement obtained by 9News. With the structure's severe damage, officials have surmised that demolition may be inevitable to fully manage the remaining threats, although responsibility for the demolition costs remains unclear and a point of further discussion.
