Interstate 25 was shut down Wednesday afternoon north of Denver, and Thornton police officers commenced door-to-door evacuations for residents after a grass fire ignited near the highway, according to law enforcement officials.
As of 12:55 p.m., both northbound and southbound lanes of I-25 were closed between Colorado 224/70th Avenue in Welby and 104th Avenue in Thornton due to “safety concerns,” as stated by the Colorado Department of Transportation. Surveillance footage from the vicinity revealed thick, dark smoke obscuring the highway.
The on-ramp from eastbound Interstate 76 onto northbound I-25 at 70th Avenue, and the on-ramp from northbound I-25 to eastbound U.S. 36 were also inaccessible, state transportation officials confirmed.
Pinnacle High School and nearby businesses were undergoing evacuation at that time, and several roadways surrounding the fire — which originated near the high school at West 84th Avenue and Huron Street — had been closed, according to the Thornton Police Department.
The precise scope of the evacuation zone is currently unclear, though police indicated it encompasses neighborhoods situated northeast of the fire.
“While emergency personnel are carrying out manual evacuations, anyone feeling unsafe should also evacuate,” police advised. “Those without a safe place to go can head to Water World, which has been designated as a safe gathering location.”
This is an unfolding news story and will be regularly updated.
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