Firefighters discover body in storage facility after fire in Colorado Springs
Michael Logerwell
BREAKING UPDATE: MONDAY 5:58 A.M. – Just before 6 a.m. on Monday, the Colorado Springs Fire Department confirmed the discovery of a deceased person when firefighters were clearing units after a fire in a storage facility.
CSFD officials say they are now working to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
According to the CSFD, The Colorado Springs Police Department is now conducting a death investigation.
Firefighters responded to the two-alarm fire just before 9 p.m. Sunday at Public Storage, on Van Teylingen Drive, north of the Academy Boulevard/North Carefree Circle intersection.
Several dozen units in a center section of the business appear to have been damaged or destroyed by fire, smoke and water; contents of the units included furniture and at least one car and motorcycle.
The scene was active for much of the morning, with the Regional Bomb Squad, the Metro Crime Lab and the El Paso County Coroner’s Office assisting; the latter will perform an autopsy on the body.
One man who rents a unit says his property apparently wasn’t seriously damaged.
“I have some paintings in there that I was worried about,” he said. “They’re covered with soot. My hands are black from brushing it off. I was here when the fire happened and when I saw the firefighters spraying water on the roof of the units, I was worried.”
By late morning, authorities had cleared the scene and the only activity was from managers securing the property and crews making repairs.
It’s unclear how many renters are affected.
Managers declined comment and referred media inquiries to their corporate office in California.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Fire Department is ringing the second alarm for a structure fire along Van Teylingen Drive, near Palmer Park.
Through social media, the fire department said the blaze is spread across multiple units at the Public Storage facility.
Firefighters are asking the public to avoid the area.