FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ref. No. 025
Date: October 24, 2016
The Adobe Building Fire
A fire was reported at 475 Lewis Street, in the Adobe Building, at approximately 1:05 am, Saturday, October 22, 2016.
After responding, law enforcement officers from the Pagosa Springs Police Department began assisting civilians in vacating the building. Members of the Pagosa Fire Protection District (PFPD) made entry into the structure and began an aggressive fire attack. Based on standard operating procedures, mutual aid was requested from both Los Pinos Fire (located in Ignacio, CO) and Upper Pine Fire (located in Bayfield, CO). Interior firefighting crews discovered that the fire had already spread into the walls, floor and ceiling areas, making the building too unstable to continue working inside so a defensive fire attack was initiated.
No one was injured in the fire. The structure is still unstable. Anyone wishing to view the area must stay outside the yellow flagging.
More than 40 responders from various agencies, including Los Pinos Fire, Upper Pine Fire, South Fork Fire, Pagosa EMS, Colorado State Patrol, Archuleta County Sheriff’s office, and the Pagosa Springs Police Department have assisted.
Currently, Pagosa Fire Marshal & Investigator David Hartman and Los Pinos Fire Marshal & Investigator Brad Edger, along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Town of Pagosa Springs Fire Official, Zach Richardson are conducting an investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.
ATF is the only federal agency whose mission includes fire investigations. On request, ATF can provide specialized resources to any federal, state or local agency in need of fire investigation support, including certified fire investigators, certified explosives specialists, fire protection engineers, chemists, forensic mappers and other highly specialized and experienced agents.
PFPD would like to thank all members of assisting agencies as well as the community for your support and donations. An overwhelming display of support was evident by the food and water donations, along with verbal thank you’ s beginning before dawn on Saturday.
For updated information, please visit the Pagosa Fire Protection District Facebook page as it will be updated whenever new information is available.
Approved By: __Randy Larson___
Randy Larson, Fire Chief