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Suspicious Fire Engulfs Abandoned La Junta Home; Mutual Aid, Investigation Underway
Description: The La Junta Fire Department Released the Following Incident Report on September 5, 2025...
Massive Suspicious Fire Engulfs Abandoned Home on Colorado Ave in La Junta; Mutual Aid Responds, Investigation Ongoing
On September 4th at approx 710pm La Junta Fire was toned out for a reported tree on fire behind a house in the 600blk of Colorado. Engine 1 was already assisting our med unit on a medical a few blocks away with an uncooperative patient. Engine 1 arrived within 2 minutes and found a large fire behind 618 Colorado and a structure was on fire.
This was upgraded to a working structure fire. There were around 60 911 and regular phone calls coming into the communication center after the original call and engine 1 arriving.
It was found the entire backside of 618 Colorado was engulfed in fire. This was a known abandoned residence. The entire garage on the South side of the house was fully engulfed and spreading quickly into the residence and across the back yard as well as threatening the apartment building on the South and the garage. Extreme heat and fire was also threatening numerous residences across the alley as well and the Century Link building to the North.
Numerous mutual aid departments were requested from Las Animas Fire Dept, Rocky Ford Fire Dept, Cheraw Fire, Manzanola Fire and DFPC Engine 34 for more man power and more apparatus. Med Trans was called to cover the district for medical calls.
La Junta PD and Otero County SO assisted with traffic control. Crews began working on protecting all exposures and defensive fire attack. While laying supply lines from a fire hydrant at 8th and Colorado, it was determined the hydrant malfunction and we needed to relocate the supply line almost 2 blocks toward the North. Numerous bystanders and softball and baseball players from Otero College assisted with moving the supply line to a working fire hydrant. This was very much appreciated.
Intense fire fight was going on throughout the night. City of La Junta Electric Dept and Water Dept and Black Hills Energy were all called into secure the utilities.
Crews worked tirelessly throughout the night working hot spots and hidden fires.
At day break, a excavator and crews from the City of La Junta Streets Dept was called into secure to help tear apart of the building so we could make sure the fire and hot spots were fully extinguished and the building would have been a unsafe risk for the community.
Prior to tearing down the building the investigation of the cause and area of origin was conducted by Chief Davidson and La Junta PD. At the time of this release the fire is being ruled suspicious and interviews are being conducted by law enforcement.
A follow up press release will be put out when all interviews and evidence collected is completed. If you have any information that could aid in this investigation, please call the La Junta Police Dept and ask for one of the detectives at 719-384-2525.
Photos in this article and gallery are courtesy of Christina Tozzie and Wayne Walter.
The last crews cleared the scene at approximately 1210pm today.
Release completed by Chief Brad Davidson.
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