Structure Fire - 04/11/12 - Bayfield, CO

On April 11th, 2012 at 00:06 hours, firefighters from the Upper Pine River Fire Protection District were notified of a structure fire at 14518 County Road 501 in the Vallectio Lake Area of Bayfield, CO. The fire occurred in a one-story tri-plex apartment building built into a hillside facing the lake. First arriving units were faced with downed power lines, exposure problems, steep and narrow access roads, and construction features, that combined to make a very difficult fire suppression operation.

Automatic aid water tenders from the Los Pinos Fire District in Ignacio, CO and Durango Fire Rescue Authority arrived to assist in the expansion of water supply operations for the incident. A fill spot was set up at Doc’s Marina, just north of the fire, utilizing an Upper Pine engine to fill tenders as they rotated through. Heavy fire conditions and compromised structural members dictated that a defensive fire attack continue until the fire was knocked down.

All of the apartment’s tenants managed to escape from the structure prior to the arrival of firefighters. Two of the building’s occupants were transported to Mercy Medical in Durango for respiratory complaints. The sustained exterior attack resulted in the fire being controlled around 03:00 hours. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.