Early morning fire at abandoned gas station now out in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Firefighters responded to their third major fire call this week when they arrived at the scene of an abandoned gas station on Fillmore Street.

Lt. Jamie Gutschick, of the Colorado Springs Fire Department, said that a neighbor reported the fire at around 3 a.m., on the north side of Fillmore between Grand View and Prospect streets.

"When crews arrived, they did have fire coming from what appeared to be coming through the roof.," he said. "Ended up being just on the roof itself. We went defensive, initially, and then we were able to get inside at some point, once we got the fire under control, to search the structure and no victims or occupants were found."

Josh Davis is the witness who reported the fire.

"So, I actually had a flood in my house this morning., he explained. "So, I was kind of attending to that., and then I had seen and heard a big explosion, and seen a lot of smoke in the air. So, I ended up stepping outside to see what was going on. I saw that the fire was starting to build, so I immediately called 911 to dispatch fire department out here."

Firefighters initially battled the heavy flames and thick smoke from a ladder platform extended above the fire; once it was under control, crews climbed to the roof to make sure the fire was out.

The property is next door to the construction of a Whataburger restaurant, but is closer to two repair businesses immediately behind the gas station and is in a commercial and industrial area.

Three blocks of Fillmore between El Paso and Arcadia streets were closed but reopened just after 6 a.m.

Although the property is bordered by a security fence, firefighters are investigating the possibility that the fire sparked from a homeless camp.