Poudre Fire Authority Extinguishes Vehicle Fire in Fort Collins Apartment Parking Garage

Poudre Fire Authority firefighters extinguished a vehicle fire inside a parking garage attached to a three-story apartment building early September 20, evacuating residents and conducting air quality testing before allowing them to return.

Crews were dispatched at approximately 12:30 a.m. to 34000 Riva Ridge Place, located just west of the intersection of Horsetooth Road and College Avenue. The Ladder 5 crew was first to arrive at the scene where a gas-powered vehicle was burning inside the parking garage.

Firefighters evacuated residents from the apartment building as a precautionary measure while crews worked to extinguish the flames. The fire produced smoke throughout the garage, requiring specialized ventilation procedures to clear the air before residents could safely return to their homes.

Following standard protocols for structure fires involving smoke hazards, PFA crews conducted comprehensive air quality testing using portable monitoring equipment to measure carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter levels. According to fire authority procedures, areas cannot be cleared for resident return until all readings fall below safety thresholds established by occupational health standards.

The last PFA unit departed the scene at 3:11 a.m. No injuries were reported during the incident.

Vehicle fires in parking garages present significant risks to multi-story residential buildings due to rapid fire spread potential, toxic smoke exposure, and possible ignition of upper floors if fire breaches fire-rated barriers. Fort Collins building codes require automatic sprinkler systems in enclosed parking garages beneath residential occupancies, along with proper ventilation systems to prevent hazardous gas buildup during emergencies.

A fire investigation is underway to determine the cause of the blaze. Vehicle fires typically result from electrical malfunctions, fuel system leaks, mechanical failures, or accidental ignition of flammable materials.

The incident represents the second structure fire response by Poudre Fire Authority this week, following a September 16 attic fire at a memory care facility on South Lemay Avenue where 30 residents were evacuated without injury during a lightning storm.

Poudre Fire Authority serves approximately 235 square miles across Larimer and Weld Counties, including Fort Collins, Timnath, and surrounding areas, responding to emergencies affecting more than 220,000 residents from 13 fire stations with 248 full-time personnel.

The investigation will examine the vehicle's pre-fire condition, potential ignition sources, and whether building fire suppression systems operated properly during the incident. Fire investigators typically provide preliminary findings within several days, with full reports completed within several weeks depending on the complexity of the case.