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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Seven Durango Firefighters were Injured in this Downtown Fire and Explosion |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Ground Ladder and Debris in Front of 750 Main Avenue |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Fire Conditions on the “C” Side Roof of 764 Main Avenue |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Ladder Pipe in Operation on the “A” Side |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Fire Conditions between the Buildings at 750 and 758 Main Avenue |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Exterior Hand Lines Working the Fire |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| DFRA Aerial Working the “A” Side of the Fire Buildings |
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| By Tom Aurnhammer |
| Handline in Operation on the “A” Side of 758 Main Avenue |
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DURANGO, CO: A structure fire and subsequent explosion destroyed three businesses in Durango’s historic downtown district and injured seven firefighters. On February 22nd, 2008 at approximately 13:40 hours the Durango Fire & Rescue Authority (DFRA) was dispatched to the Seasons Restaurant at 764 Main Avenue for a report of a fire on the roof. First arriving units encountered a fire above the restaurant’s ceiling. At 14:04 hours conditions began to deteriorate and DFRA Battalion Chief Mick Stowers, the Incident Commander, requested a recall of all off-duty firefighters. Mutual aid was also requested from the Upper Pine Fire District in Bayfield, CO for a Ladder Truck and an Air Unit.
The fire began extending into the “D” side exposure, Half Price Tees at 758 Main Avenue, as firefighters began mounting an attack on the restaurant. Units had laddered 750 Main Avenue, the Le Rendezvous Swiss Bakery, to assess the roof conditions of the fire building and exposure when an explosion occurred at approximately 14:30 hours. Broken glass and bricks littered Main Avenue and the blast injured seven firefighters. At this time Command requested all available DFRA and Mutual Aid Ambulances from Upper Pine Fire and the Los Pinos Fire District in Ignacio, CO respond to the scene.
Of the seven firefighters that were transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, four were treated and released and three were admitted to the hospital. All of their injuries were reported to be non-life threatening. Additional Mutual Aid was also requested from the Fort Lewis Fire District in Hesperus, CO. All three of the buildings, 750-758-764 Main Avenue, were destroyed by the fire. Firefighters continued the defensive attack with ladder pipes and hand lines into the evening hours.
Command started releasing units from the fireground at approximately 20:30 hours. DFRA units will maintain a fire watch through the night and continue hitting pockets of fire covered by collapsed roofs and other debris. At the time of this report the origin and cause of the fire, as well as the cause of the explosion is under investigation by the DFRA Fire Marshal’s Office.
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