Colorado Springs Fire says Sun Springs Motel fire caused by squatters starting campfire in unit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs Fire Department says a fire started in one of the units was caused by squatters starting a campfire in one of the units.

The fire, now extinguished, shut down part of Southbound Nevada Monday morning.

The fire department says they needed to clear the motel when they responded out of caution.

"We have found people over the years who have been in those types of buildings that we think are abandoned. So we we treat it as a real, you know, active, occupied structure, even though it's abandoned," Captain JJ Halsey said.

The Sun Springs Motel has been slated for destruction.

CSFD advised anyone experiencing homelessness to seek out shelter resources.

"We would much rather have them in a safe, warm, rescue-type community rather than in abandoned structuresand, you know, causing fires and starting fires to keep warm through the winter," Halsey said.