Update: A fire that broke out in Pueblo’s Midtown area Saturday afternoon has been mostly extinguished, The Gazette reported, citing fire officials. No structures were threatened, and no injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation is ongoing.
Earlier, the Pueblo Fire Department said crews were battling a large fire in the Midtown area with assistance from county mutual-aid providers.
“The fire involves a large pile of railroad ties and no structures are threatened at this time,” the department said in a Facebook post. “Due to the nature of the fuel we advise that anyone with respiratory issues or is downwind of the fire take the necessary precautions to avoid the plume. Turn off all outside air handling units, close windows and doors and leave the area if the smoke settles in your area. There are no official evacuations or pre evacuations issued at this time.”
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Initial report: A fire has been reported in Pueblo, Colorado. The blaze appears to have started around 12:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.
What’s on fire?
Some social media accounts claim the fire broke out in a field near the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Pueblo.
In a Facebook post, Pueblo Independent News reported, “A huge plume of black smoke could be seen from quite a distance around town on Saturday. Kenny Gomez followed the smoke on a live FB video and tracked it to a field just outside of the government institution… confirmed to be an old railyard with old rail ties on fire.”
Witness reports
Videos shared by witnesses on social media show large plumes of smoke rising from the area. The videos appear to show the fire producing significant amounts of smoke, although the exact location and cause of the blaze have not been independently confirmed.
One witness reported, “Mostly railroad ties and tires… looks like a junk pile for the railroad.”
Another wrote, “Pueblo fire! Looks like a bunch of old railroad ties.”
A third witness added, “It’s close to the state hospital, im here at work now and can see it really good idk what it is tho.”
