The raging five-alarm fire that shocked Denver Friday night was still burning in spots as of late Monday afternoon, though the Denver Fire Department has scaled back its presence at the scene.
The 911 calls began at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, and the fire soon engulfed the “Harker Heights” apartment development at Leetsdale Drive and South Forest Street.
Firefighters were putting out smaller interior fires Monday afternoon, something fire officials said will continue for some time. The fire department will need to bring heavy construction equipment to the smoldering site, where construction had been nearing completion.
“Those little fires aren't really going to go out until we are able to get an excavator in there and move some of that building around because those fires are really hidden and we're not sending anybody in because of the collapse and structural hazards,” said Robert Murphy, DFD division chief, in an interview with Denverite. “ As far as the investigation – still ongoing, and will probably be ongoing for a while.”
On Monday afternoon, a fire hose still snaked into the west side of the building, where much of the apparent damage was. The smell of smoke hung in the air and the block-sized construction site was ringed in by police tape and firetrucks, making sure people didn’t get too close.
The apartment project was slated for four floors and 283 units, city records show. It sits on five acres in the Washington Virginia Vale neighborhood. The project appeared to be nearing completion, complete with signage, siding, windows and balconies.
“The fire itself …, it was pretty temporary, short-lived, 48 hours of inconvenience. And the great part is that the property was uninhabited, right? No fatalities. So overall it could have been worse,” said Paul Aceto, the president of the registered neighborhood organization for Washington Virginia Vale.
More than 150 firefighters responded to the fire on Friday night, and responding agencies included South Metro Fire, the Denver Police Department and Aurora Fire Rescue. One firefighter was injured.
“We tackled this fire from two angles. One was really trying to put the fire out itself. That's obvious. I think what was not so obvious was that there were other buildings around this apartment complex, especially the houses on the backside,” Murphy said. “There's houses that are sitting up on top of the hill. There's some businesses around that. We worked really hard to try to prevent them from catching on fire, which we were able to do.”
He added that while most fires don’t require assistance from other departments, the agencies collaborated well on Friday. The fire also impacted Glendale, the small nearby city within Denver’s borders. About 12 stayed at the Glendale Event Center overnight during the evacuation period.
Traffic impacts and power outages
The building sits on one of the busiest corridors in the area. The Leetsdale corridor sees heavy traffic between Aurora and Denver. Aceto said he’s mainly concerned about the impacts the corridor closure would have on the neighborhood and the traffic, as the road was fully closed during the fire.
As of Monday, single-lane traffic was going both ways on Leetsdale, though drivers were being encouraged to avoid the area for the time being.
“I would say that's had a direct impact on all the people that use that corridor, right? That's not necessarily strictly limited to residents of the neighboring community,” Aceto said. “It's a heavily traveled road.”
Sgt. Megan Gillis, a spokesperson for Glendale Police Department, said the area is already heavily monitored by police, adding that her department will work closely with Denver’s to keep traffic moving safely.
“If and when construction begins to take place, we will coordinate our jurisdictional traffic flow accordingly,” Gillis said. “We always help Denver and they always help us since we are so close geographically.”
During the fire, Xcel Energy turned off power for 1,200 customers who were close to the fire, which lasted about three hours in its most destructive phase. Xcel said it restored power as soon as the fire departments gave their approval.
What caused the Leetsdale fire?
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, with seemingly no end in sight. And as for the apartment building, it’s still too early to tell what the plan is, including whether it will be demolished.
Jeff Cowart, a spokesperson for Emery, said via email that the development company is waiting and working with investigators.
“Our entire team would like to express our deep gratitude to the emergency response teams from around the city who worked to contain the fire within the construction site and who continue to work to secure the site. Our priority remains working collaboratively with Denver Fire, investigators and the community as the investigation continues to determine the cause and next steps,” he wrote.
While rumors have circulated online that someone was detained at the site while firefighters tried to put out the fire, the Denver Police Department said it had no record of an arrest.
There were reported fireworks in the area that night, but there is currently no indication they caused the fire, according to The Denver Post.
The apartment complex was slated to be finished in 2026. Denver fire officials said they would provide further updates Tuesday.
Questions, comments or observations about the fire? Email [email protected].
