Fire Destroys Multiple Buildings in Downtown Grand Junction
A fire reported Sunday evening engulfed multiple buildings and kept Grand Junction Firefighters busy for several hours.
The fire was initially reported at approximately 6:15 p.m. and at the time was believed to have been just one building. As the Grand Junction Fire Department responded to the scene there were multiple buildings, two of those vacant houses on 4th Street between Ute and Pitkin Avenues involved.
Because of the substantial risk, the fire would spread to additional buildings, part of the fire crew worked to protect those buildings while others focused on extinguishing the multiple structure fires. Xcel Energy was also called in to cut electricity and gas service to the area.
The neighborhood around the fire, including Whitman Park, were evacuated as a safety precaution and because of the amount of smoke generated by the fire. Ute and Pitkin Avenues and 4th Street were closed in the area around the fire.
As of 9:30 p.m. the Grand Junction Fire Department still had multiple trucks on scene checking the burned buildings and extinguishing hot spots.
No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Because the fire was still active Sunday night, investigators have not had the opportunity to determine the cause of the fire.