Denver Fire Department
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The Denver area’s largest fire in decades engulfed an entire city block in flames over the weekend.
Sparks ignited at around 6:45 p.m. on Friday, January 2, at a construction site at the intersection of Leetsdale Drive and South Forest Street, bordering Glendale. As of the afternoon on Monday, January 5, the fire is still not fully extinguished, according to Division Chief Robert Murphy of the Denver Fire Department.
Murphy says the blaze is “by far” the biggest that DFD has faced in recent history. It’s the first five-alarm fire he has seen in his thirty-year career.
Over 150 firefighters from multiple agencies responded to the scene, in addition to dozens of support staff members. The investigation into the inferno is ongoing; the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives deployed its National Response Team to Denver to assist in the probe.
Here’s what we know so far.
Current Status
Three days after the fire began burning, smoldering hot spots remain. Murphy says the blaze is around 98 percent extinguished, but firefighters are waiting for heavy-duty equipment to be able to fully put it out.
“There are some hidden spots that we just can’t get to with water,” he explains. “We’re not allowing our people to get into the building because it’s unsafe.”
He expects firefighters will continue working on the scene until Wednesday or Thursday.
Extent of Damage
Officials are gathering details about the extent of the damage. It is unclear how much square footage was affected, but Murphy describes the destruction as covering an entire city block.
The burned construction site was for a 283-unit apartment complex called Harker Heights. It was slated to open in May, according to a 2023 update from the designer. The complex was 233,902 square feet and valued at $23.2 million in 2025, the Denver Post reports.
“That building is a complete loss,” Murphy says. “It’s all going to end up coming down.”
In addition to the complex, the flames damaged the exterior of some surrounding houses and construction equipment on the scene. No other structures burned down, he says.
Injuries
One firefighter sustained a minor injury while responding to the blaze, according to Murphy. The firefighter reportedly pulled his shoulder out of place when his hand hit a hose stream. He was treated at the hospital and has since returned home.
Officials are unsure whether anyone else was hurt or killed in the fire, because they haven’t been able to enter the complex to look for victims.
“I would love to say that there’s nobody in there, but we can’t get in and search that building because it’s so dangerous,” Murphy says.
Denver Fire Department
Cause of Fire
The cause of the fire is under investigation and is expected to take a considerable amount of time. So far, officials have had to rely on video and witness testimony because firefighters can’t enter the wreckage to investigate while it is still smoldering.
Some witnesses have reported seeing fireworks go off in the area leading up to the start of the fire. Murphy says investigators are looking into fireworks as a potential cause, but they’re “looking at other things as well.”
“It could be related, but it might not be related,” he adds. “This one’s going to be long. It’s a huge building, it’s massive.”
Construction
It is unclear whether the construction of Harker Heights will continue in the wake of the fire.
Officials cannot assess the situation until the flames are fully put out and an investigation is complete, according to a spokesperson for Embrey, the real estate investment company operating the construction project.
“Our entire team would like to express our deep gratitude to the emergency response teams from around the city who worked to contain the fire within the construction site and who continue to work to secure the site,” spokesperson Jeff Cowart says. “Our priority remains working collaboratively with Denver Fire, investigators and the community as the investigation continues to determine the cause and next steps.”
This isn’t the metro area’s first inferno sparked at a construction site. In 2018, a three-alarm fire at an apartment construction site in North Capitol Hill killed two people. Five years earlier, another three-alarm fire at an apartment construction site in Glendale caused $12 million in damages.
“They’re a bit more vulnerable,” Murphy says. “They don’t have any fire protection systems, they don’t have drywall in place.”
Federal Involvement
ATF’s Denver Field Division requested help from the National Response Team for the investigation. The team consists of numerous experts, including explosive specialists, forensic chemists and special agent fire investigators. The federal assistance will also provide access to state-of-the-art technology, such as unmanned aerial systems and forensic mapping.
“This fire threatened the safety of our community and injured a firefighter,” says ATF Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. “The NRT is bringing federal resources and expertise to this complex investigation. It is a top priority for us because we understand the immense challenges this fire has created for residents and businesses.”
