Colorado Springs Fire Department responding to structure fire near downtown
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado Springs Fire Department is responding to a working structure fire off 2814 Concord Street.
Around 8 a.m. Monday morning, the department said it knocked down the fire. The fire was contained in a garage on the property, and there was no reported extension to the home.
Despite harsh temperatures, firefighters had the fire out in twenty minutes.
"All of a sudden you hear this bang, bang. And I thought, okay, maybe the trash can because of the wind knocked over. There is a gigantic fire in the back of the house. And then you hear a series of explosions. And it just really sounds like, you know, there was like paint cans or gas cans going up, said Don Louise, a neighbor in the area.
Neighbors who live just North of downtown Colorado Springs woke up to firetrucks and flames on Monday morning.
Colorado Springs firefighters were able to get control of things quickly, thanks to multiple 911 calls from neighbors.
However, the dangerously cold conditions created additional challenges for fire crews.
"Whenever we're in cold weather, we have concerns, making our job a little more difficult. But when we're in these extreme-dangerous cold temperatures like we are today, it just adds an extra element of problems that we encounter," said Fire Captian JJ Halsey.
The danger comes from water freezing almost instantly.
Equipment malfunctions are also a major concern.
"Frostbite can develop very quickly. We're we're operating with hose lines. So a lot of water and spray is coming in. They're getting soaked in water. And then that automatically turns into a layer of ice on our personnel and equipment," said Halsey.
The fire department now reminds residents to avoid using ovens and stoves to keep warm.
They also recommend keeping your thermostat above 68 degrees or 60 degrees if away from home.
If you are using a space heater to stay warm, keep it at least three feet away from anything considered flammable.
Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire.
