Cause of Pueblo County ‘Applewood Fire’ identified

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Rye Fire Chief has confirmed that a Pueblo County fire that resulted in the loss of six homes was caused by a towed trailer malfunction.

Flames spread west from Interstate 25 into the Applewood Estates neighborhood on June 21, with families telling KRDO13 that they only had seconds to evacuate.

PREVIOUS REPORTING: Multiple families in Applewood Estates lose their homes to fire

Rye Fire Chief Ross Gallegos says 11 homes were affected by the fire, which was around 15 to 20 acres, with six being a total loss. According to officials, a trailer experienced a mechanical malfunction, during which hot debris dislodged and sparked the grass fire.

"It was a mechanical fault on the trailer," Gallegos said. "Could have happened to anybody. There's no specific accident that caused it."

According to the Chief, law enforcement has identified the probable vehicle and has made contact with the driver. He says the incident is still under investigation; however, he believes the fire started accidentally.

Gallegos says three fires were burning simultaneously, which combined to become the Applewood Fire. He says the weather made it difficult to battle the blaze.

"(We) had anticipated that the hot, dry conditions could make any fire spread quickly," Gallegos said. "This one was wind driven. At the time, it was, three points of origin for the fire. Two of those actually merged behind the Applewood residents that were affected. By the time we had our to wildland fire trucks on scene to fight that grass fire, they had combined and spread into the heavier juniper trees that surround the community."

Gallegos says the the cause of the fire was on par with a freak accident. Despite that, he recommends fire mitigation efforts for home owners. Mowing grass, pulling weeds, and trimming tree branches will reduce fire fuel. He also recommends keeping up with maintenance on vehicles and trailers; including inspections to make sure vehicles are up to code.

Gallegos says there is no longer any danger to the community, and the fire department is in its clean up phase.

GoFundMe pages have been started to help families affected by the fire. You can find one here and here.