Fire crews respond to propane tank, ammunition explosions at rural Carbondale garage

Fire crews respond to propane tank, ammunition explosions at rural Carbondale garage

Originally published by Post Independent

Fire crews responded to a structure fire with explosions due to propane tanks and ammunition stored inside a rural Carbondale garage Saturday morning, the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District reported in a Saturday news release.

The CRFPD responded to the fire at 11:21 a.m., at a rural residence along County Road 100 just east of Carbondale. Upon arrival, firefighters found a detached 40-foot by 60-foot garage/shop structure with an attached greenhouse that was fully involved with fire.

The fire was coming out of the garage doors, and a recreational vehicle inside the garage was burning, the release states.

“This fire was located in a large building that was fully involved with fire when we arrived,” Incident Commander Dean Perkins said in the release. “The fire was dangerous to fight because of its location and lack of access to water. Having mutual aid from Roaring Fork Fire Rescue allowed us to set up a water tender shuttle and fight the fire with the water that was trucked in. Roaring Fork Fire’s support helped us knock down and control the fire.”

The nearest water source was three miles away from the incident.

A fire crew hoses down a greenhouse in rural Carbondale Saturday morning. Courtesy photo

The fire is under control, but not completely extinguished at this time, the release states. Firefighting efforts, including overhaul and mop up, are expected to last another two hours.

Due to firefighting operations and ice on the road, County Road 100 was closed from the Catherine Store Bridge to mile marker 2.5 for much of the afternoon. It reopened in both directions at 4:25 p.m. Saturday, following the structure fire.

The CRFPD reported no injuries. The residents were home during the fire but the home was not damaged in the fire.

However, the garage/shop structure is reported to be a total loss.

A Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District firefighter fights a fire as a cloud of smoke billows from the structure Saturday morning in rurual Carbondale.

The structure fire is being investigated for cause and origin by the CRFPD. However, authorities at this time do not believe the fire is suspicious in nature.

Carbondale Fire responded with four fire apparatus and 14 personnel, the release states. Roaring Fork Fire Rescue and Garfield County Sheriff’s Department also responded to this incident.

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