Large fire burns second residential construction site in three days in Denver suburb

DENVER — Firefighters in the Denver metro area responded Saturday to the second major fire at an Aurora construction site in three days.

Officials have not yet determined the cause of either fire and have not suggested they are related, but both are under investigation.

Saturday's five-alarm fire was reported around 12:48 p.m., said Andrew Logan, spokesman for Aurora Fire Rescue, at a large apartment complex that was still under construction. Responding crews went to the top floor of the five-story building where the fire reportedly started, but the dangerous conditions quickly forced crews from several agencies to focus on fighting the flames from outside the building.

According to a news release from the department, one firefighter suffered minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital and is recovering.

No other buildings were damaged by the fire, Logan said, and firefighters were expected to remain on scene until Saturday evening.

Another fire early Thursday morning engulfed several residential buildings under construction in another Aurora neighborhood. Aurora Fire Rescue wrote in a news release that Thursday's fire “was a highly volatile and very dangerous scene” and that responding crews used a hose line to prevent nearby propane tanks from exploding. No one was injured in Thursday's fire.

“I believe the only thing these two have in common at this point is that they were both under construction,” Aurora Fire Department Deputy Chief Caine Hills said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.