Denver apartment fire cause under investigation

Massive Apartment Fire in Denver Causes Evacuations

DENVER — Michael Maaliki witnessed the aftermath of a large apartment fire on Friday at a partially built site in Denver. His backyard overlooks the Harker Heights area, where flames prompted nearby residents to evacuate.

“They evacuated everybody right away. Within minutes, the fire department were here. All I hear is sirens, fire trucks, and everybody coming in, which is great,” Maaliki said.

Officials reported that over 150 firefighters worked to control the flames, which spread across an entire city block. A full damage assessment is pending, but firefighters noted on Sunday that the structure is very unstable and may collapse further.

“I’ve never seen anything like that. I thought you only see it in movies, but I guess that’s reality. You can look in the backyard and see it,” Maaliki said.

Maaliki’s home showed signs of the fire’s impact, with the side of his house melted and the interior filled with smoke. “Your eyes will get itchy, your throat gets scratchy,” he said. “My nephew is a doctor, I ask him if he recommends us stay, and he said ‘No, I wouldn’t because the carbon monoxide and all that other stuff in there.’”

Traffic and Insurance Information

On Monday, only one travel lane was open in each direction on Leetsdale Drive between Hudson Street and Forest Street. Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) advised travelers to use alternate routes to avoid delays.

Denver7 spoke with Kaysia Sutz-Gutierrez, an insurance specialist at EJC Insurance and Financial, about insurance policies for building sites. She explained that builder’s risk insurance can cover property damage and issues with contractors.

“There are still liabilities and risks that come with building homes, building buildings. It’s important to have insurance as soon as you start breaking ground for sure,” Sutz-Gutierrez said.

While there were no tenants in the building, she highlighted the importance of having a renter’s policy, which could help in emergencies like this. She also noted that builder’s risk policies are not mandatory, but may be required if financing is involved.

“They’re called accidents for a reason, they’re not called on purpose, right?” Sutz-Gutierrez said. “We do know that, and that’s what insurance is for, because what if, you just never know what can happen. So it’s important for all commercial buildings and homeowners to have a homeowner’s insurance policy, have a policy that covers your business and things like that.”

The Denver Fire Department will provide updates about the fire on Tuesday at 1 p.m.