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Colo. apartment construction site fire, largest in FD history

Aurora Fire Rescue officials stated the $150M East Colfax apartment fire was the largest in the department’s history

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Firefighters work to contain a 5-alarm fire at a multi-family residential building under construction on Peoria St. between Colfax and 14th Avenue in Aurora, Colorado Friday Dec. 16, 2023.

Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post

By Jacob Factor
The Denver Post

AURORA, Colo. — The Dec. 16, 2023 apartment construction fire in East Colfax in Aurora that produced a smoke plume seen across the Denver area was the largest in Aurora Fire Rescue’s history, the department reported Friday.

It took five days and more than 50 apparatuses to fully extinguish the blaze, and the estimated value of property losses exceeded $150 million.

Colfax Avenue and Peoria Street are still closed, department officials said, but the streets will reopen within the next week as a phased demolition process started this week.

Fire officials are still investigating, so the phased approach enables them to investigate while clearing debris.

Fire officials do not believe this fire is connected to a similar fire just two days prior at an apartment building under construction in southeast Aurora. That fire is being investigated as a potential criminal act, according to the department.

RELATED: Videos: Colo. FFs battle 2 construction site fires over 3 days

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