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17h ago

Crews Battle Hotspots After Five-Alarm Blaze Guts Denver Apartment Project

The unstable, partially collapsed structure must be secured before investigators can enter to determine the origin.

This photo provided by The Denver Fire Department shows a large blaze in Denver, Friday evening, January 2, 2026.
Smoke and flames rise from the site of a burning building, as emergency vehicles are parked nearby, in Denver, Colorado, U.S., January 2, 2026, in this still image taken from a social media video. X @DaLitiGator/via REUTERS
Smoke and flames rise from the site of a burning building, in Denver, Colorado, U.S., January 2, 2026, in this still image obtained from a social media video, video taken behind glass. X @DaLitiGator/via REUTERS
Firefighters continue to work the scene of an overnight construction site fire on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, on Leetsdale Drive, between South Forest Street and South Hudson Street in Denver. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)

Overview

  • The fire ignited Friday around 6:45 p.m. at the Harker Heights apartment construction site off S. Leetsdale Drive and tore through about a city block.
  • Commanders kept crews outside in a defensive attack as sections collapsed and the unfinished building, without drywall or active sprinklers, allowed rapid spread.
  • More than 100 firefighters from metro agencies contained the flames to the site and continue dousing deep-seated hotspots through the weekend.
  • One firefighter was treated at Denver Health; nearby residents were evacuated and roads closed during the peak threat, with returns allowed later that night.
  • The cause remains undetermined as ATF assists; fireworks rumors are unconfirmed, and nearby properties, including the Kohelet Synagogue, suffered heat damage.