Drake Fire: Answers may be on the way

Answers to what started the large fire at the martin drake power plant may be here today.

The Colorado Springs fire chief tells us investigators are hoping to know by later this afternoon.

After speaking with Colorado Springs Fire Chief Chris Riley, it seems fire crews are getting closer to an answer.

They hope to figure out what started the fire by Tuesday late afternoon, but they don’t want to rush the investigation.

“Had we not of gone in, and tried to extinguish the fire, high probability there would have been a catastrophic explosion that could have wiped out city blocks,” said Chief Riley.

The tough decision to go inside the power plant may have saved lives.

All employees made it out alive, two people were hurt.

“What the firefighters faced here yesterday, in terms of complexity and hazards was about as high as it gets. If not the highest level,” said Riley.

But the crews work is only beginning.

“There is significant damage around the control deck and one of the turbines. What’s difficult is we’re able to see with the naked eye the damage, but then there are unseen damages with structural integrity, hazardous material and smoke that we’re not able to fully assess. We know the public needs to hear what happened here yesterday we want to be able to tell them, but we don’t want to do the investigation in haste, said Riley.”