Colorado Springs Fire Department battles intense fire at auto body shop, witnesses heard explosions
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado Springs firefighters battled a blaze that broke out at an auto body shop in the southeastern part of the city for about two hours.
Those in the area reported two loud explosions, along with thick black smoke billowing from a garage at the business on Weston Road, just off of the Hancock Expressway just after 4:40 p.m.
"I knew it was it was something big because it was like really, really loud." said Veronica Ramos, a gas station employee just across the street where first responders blocked off the road.
Colorado Springs Fire Department saying they put out a second alarm upon arrival. Noting that paint and other materials within the burn were a cause for concern, prompting them to bring in hazmat crews.
"Those can be concerning just because of what's inside of them. So the gas that's inside the car[s], some of the, you know, the oil, the paint cans that are inside the repair shops." explained Ashley Franco, a spokesperson with the department.
Upwards of 50 personnel were on scene throughout the evening, taking shifts to put out the fire by 6:40 p.m.
"We had some structural issues that we were looking at, and for the safety of all of our crews, we wanted to make sure that, you know, we were staying out of that building." said Franco on why firefighters could only take on the blaze from the outside of the building.
It's a scene that left folks at neighboring businesses shocked.
"I didn't know if that was going to explode and hit our window or, you know, so my first thought was just to hurry up and get out of the building and get to my son." said Tasha Fickas, an employee at Pikes Peak Plumbing, directly across from the auto body shop.
Firefighters report that some cars were damaged right outside the business, but hadn't assessed any cars inside the shop. There were no reports of injuries to firefighters or anyone else.
Colorado Springs Fire Department said Wednesday the fire was ruled accidental due to grinding operations.
