Crews Forced to use Protective Gear While Fighting Fire Due to Asbestos ConcernsBoulder, Colorado - An early morning fire at an apartment complex close to the University of Colorado campus was quickly put out by Firefighters.
Boulder Fire Department public information officer, Sarah Huntley, said that firefighting crews responded at approximately 2:30 a.m. to the Holly Apartment Complex at 1821 22nd Street.
Jamie Smith, a resident said, "The only thing I heard was people yelling and screaming and when I looked up and there was a big orange glow in the bedroom. I'm completely in shock. This is all amazing to me. I just don't know how this all happened."
According to the fire marshall, firefighters tried to fight the fire from outside the building.
Chris Schuman, a resident, said it took him a few minutes to figure out what was happening when he woke up.
He said, "The first thing I heard was sirens, I was like really asleep, and I thought I was someplace else. A man outside was yelling, so my girlfriend leaned out the window…and the person said yeah it really bad, it's the building, get out. So we grabbed some things and left."
It is believed by investigators that the fire started outside after a juniper bush caught fire and spread quickly through the complex.
Some fire damage occurred in three or four units, but no residents or firefighters were injured. Before the fire marshall arrived at the scene, all residents in the 31-unit complex were evacuated.
Asbestos was believed to exist inside the drywall so firefighters wore protective gear while fighting the fire according to Huntley.
David Lowery, Chief Fire Marshall at the Fire Department in Boulder said, "We had confirmation that asbestos was in the sheet rock of the building material use to create the structure."
The air quality of the apartment building needs testing so residents may have to wait up to a day before returning to their homes said the fire marshall.
According to Schuman, he didn't hear an alarm in his apartment or notice any sprinklers in the building but he did hear an alarm in the hallway. He said that the fire occurred at a coincidental time for him because it was just a couple of nights ago that he discussed what to do in case of a fire with his girlfriend.
"My girlfriend woke me up a few nights ago and said, 'if there was a fire, Chris, what would be the first thing that you would grab?' 'My laptop,' he replied. I'm happy that we had that exchange because I'm not sure I would have known what to do" Schuman commented.
The American Red Cross stepped in to help those affected by the fire which is still under investigation.
