100-year-old building catches fire in Old Colorado City

OLD COLORADO CITY, Colo-- Fire officials are investigating what started a fire in a three-story business and residential building on Colorado Avenue.

Colorado Springs firefighters say the fire started on the second floor. Businesses use the ground floor, and everything above it is residential.

Firefighters responded to the call just after midnight on Friday; arriving to the fire actively burning.

The initial report indicates the people inside got out before firefighters arrived. The building on Colorado avenue is over 100 years old, and triggered multiple fire alarms.

"These are over 100 years old down here so with the type of construction that it is there’s a lot of what we call void spaces so spaces between the floor and the ceiling between the first second third floor in the wall space and even these share some of the same common walls, fire can actually go between the walls and get into another building if it’s connected to it like these are," said Captain Michael Smaldino.

It took firefighters about two hours to get the fire out, and firefighters say there may be hidden water damage to the building.

It's likely that residents will be displaced from their homes. The number of displaced is unclear at the writing of this article.

Parts of 25th St. and Colorado Ave. were blocked as a result of the fire.