Fuel tanks explode inside burning building in Byers that forced Coloradans out of homes

Fire crews in Colorado rushed to the scene of a building that was on fire in Byers just after 10 a.m. on Friday. According to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, the large structure fire was burning at a decades-old barn in the 600 block of E. Pleasant Avenue. 

"A neighbor called and said that that shop was on fire," said Larry Mikita.    

He said the barn that caught fire was a business that repaired big rigs. 

Investigators said there were flammables inside the building including large trucks and fuel tanks that had exploded. 

"It was a truck shop. A mechanic shop and he worked on trucks and equipment like that," said Mikita.

But worst of all he says, he had just dropped his nineteen '99 Peterbilt off at the shop.

"I had a semi over there get worked on," said Mikita.

Firefighters say that the truck is a goner.

"Everything inside was totally destroyed there. I mean, you can recognize what used to be a truck, but there's essentially virtually nothing salvageable from inside the building," said Patrick Conroy Fire Chief of Strausberg Fire Protection District.

Arapahoe County Sheriff's deputies evacuated dozens of homes in the immediate area. A Code Red emergency alert had been activated but then was quickly lifted. 

"There's been some explosions because there's oil and fuel and trucks," said Mikita.

Firefighters from five different agencies worked hard to get the fire under control but were stymied by a lack of water.

"As with any fire out here in the more rural areas, water supply is always an issue. There were no hydrants in this area, which is why so much outside help is requested to bring, the large water tenders, and tankers to us with water," said Conroy.

By early Friday afternoon, the fire was mostly out, and while Larry's truck may have been lost, he says things could be a lot worse.

"I just hope there's been nobody hurt," said Mikita.

Firefighters say no one including first responders was hurt and the cause of the fire is under investigation.