Serious damage follows storms and flooding in Fremont County

Those living Cañon City and Florence were not spared from Monday’s storms, and the long clean up process has just begun.

Some of the worst damages and flooding occurred next to Highway 115, just a mile away from Pathfinder Park.

“I heard a bang on the side of my house,” says Michael Spears. The retired Florence resident reached his home moments before the creek just fifty yards from his home damned up and water came rushing up.

“I opened up the front door and my whole yard was like a bowl of jello. It was just wobbling, it was all white with hail and water.”

There were water and large amounts of hail onto his property the size of gravel.

Other people living near the small creek also received damage to their homes, belongings, and vehicles. However, they all say no one, including pets, was physically harmed.

Neighbors say the situation could have been a whole lot worse. The city of Florence recently did work on the small creek to prevent future dams from forming. Unfortunately, trees and debris flowing down the creek formed this one. However, those living nearby say their situation could have been a whole lot worse if that work hadn’t been done.

This wasn’t the only flooding and damage in Fremont County last night. Rainwater was flowing so fiercely over the intersection of Fourth Street and West Grand Avenue in Cañon City that traffic was stopped for a time being.

“This water came from the Dawson Ranch area, and they just got hammered last night reportedly over two inches of rain,” says County Commissioner Tim Payne. “A lot of the problem was the wind that snapped power poles and trees. Those folks up there got some damage.”

Tuesday, crews could be seen all throughout the county helping to pick up debris and fix some of the damages. However, along Highway 115, many neighbors and friends could be seen lending a helping hand. Spears says he was up since the break of dawn trying to shovel through the hail piles outside of his home, but won’t be able to do much without heavy machinery.

“I don’t want to see this happen again,” says Spears. “It was a nightmare last night. I don’t know if you have ever been through a flood but it is scary.”