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yesterday

Denver’s Worst Fire in Decades Still Smolders at Leetsdale Construction Site

Investigators plan excavation to reach hidden hotspots.

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)
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Firefighters spray down the east side of an apartment complex that was under construction as they and others continue to work the scene of an overnight structure 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 five-alarm blaze destroyed the partially built 283-unit Harker Heights complex at 5337 Leetsdale Drive and continues to burn beneath debris.
  • Investigators have not determined a cause and are examining possibilities including a homeless person present, fireworks, or construction activity, relying on surveillance video and witness accounts.
  • Structural collapses have prevented interior searches for potential victims, and officials say there are no reports of missing persons so far.
  • Fire officials expect demolition to expose and extinguish hidden fires, and who will pay for that work has not been resolved.
  • On-scene staffing has fallen from roughly 175 responders to a few companies, and nearby businesses and homes report outages, traffic restrictions, and heat damage.