Fire engulfs Nederland shopping center, destroying local businesses

Nederalnd
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Nederland, Colorado, June 17, 2020.

A fire spread through the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland in the early hours Thursday morning. The center houses roughly 20 businesses and one of only two doctor’s offices in the town with a population of 1,500. The fire engulfed large portions of the two-story complex and prompted the evacuation of nearby residents. 

Firefighters battled the flames through the morning to prevent further spread, and according to Sherry Snyder, district administrator for Nederland Fire, the situation was under control before 10 a.m.

Both floors of the shopping center were fully engulfed, impacting numerous local businesses, including O’Neill Rocky Mountain Art, Kaleidoscope Fine Arts Gallery, Tres Gringos Restaurant, the Oriental Healing Clinic, and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Nederland substation.

No injuries have been reported but thick plumes of smoke were visible from blocks away and significant structural damage could be seen from the street. Authorities say smoke from the fire may stay in the air for some time.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office issued the evacuation order as a precaution and it has since been lifted. As of 10:30 a.m., Road closures are still in place on eastbound Big Springs Drive at Colorado 119, also known as Bridge Street, eastbound Lakeview Drive at Colorado 119, and westbound Lakeview Drive at Conger Street.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.