Jan 2 (Reuters) - A large fire erupted Friday evening at an apartment complex under construction in southeast Denver near Glendale, causing widespread power outages. Images from Denver Fire on X showed flames and heavy smoke as more than 100 firefighters battled the blaze. One firefighter was injured and taken to Denver Health, and a temporary shelter was opened in Glendale while Leetsdale Drive remained closed as operations continued.
Major Blaze Engulfs Denver Apartment Project Under Construction, Triggering Widespread Power Outages
Smoke and flames rise from the site of a burning building, in Denver, Colorado, U.S., January 2, 2026, in this still image obtained from a social media video, video taken behind glass. X @DaLitiGator/via REUTERS
Jan 2 (Reuters) - A major fire broke out on Friday evening at an apartment complex under construction in southeast Denver near the Glendale area, sending thick smoke into the night sky and causing widespread power outages across the neighborhood, Glendale police said.
Photos shared by Denver Fire on X showed flames consuming the building's wooden frame as fire trucks and emergency lights filled the street. More than 100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene to contain the deep-seated blaze.
Smoke and flames rise from the site of a burning building, as emergency vehicles are parked nearby, in Denver, Colorado, U.S., January 2, 2026, in this still image taken from a social media video. X @DaLitiGator/via REUTERS
One firefighter was injured and transported to Denver Health for treatment, the fire department said. Crews remained on site for hours as they worked to reach hotspots inside the structure.
“This fire is still not out. Our firefighters are still dumping water on it. It's, you know, deep-seated now within this building so we're trying to reach those deep-seated locations and we're going to be here a while and with us here, they're going to keep Leetsdale (Drive) closed for sure,” said Robert Murphy, division chief of operations for Denver Fire.
Authorities established a temporary shelter at an event center in nearby Glendale for residents affected by outages or evacuations. Leetsdale Drive was closed as crews continued operations and investigators began assessing the scene.
(Reporting by Ruchika Khanna and Anusha Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Susan Fenton)
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