COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Fire Department has determined that a fire at the Majestic Building downtown earlier this month was accidental. They say that an electrical problem with a kitchen refrigerator in Taste of Jerusalem started the fire.
At least five businesses in downtown Colorado Springs were directly impacted by the fire on the morning of Dec. 4th, which spread smoke damage throughout the Majestic Building on Bijou St.
More than half of the on-duty firefighters with the Colorado Springs Fire Department were called to the building. Emergency crews closed off access to Bijou St. for several hours due to the three-alarm fire.
Flames and smoke were first reported inside the building at the following locations just before 10 a.m. on Dec. 4th:
- Icons
- Taste of Jerusalem
- Yobel
- The Local Honey Collective
- UPS
Fire crews were able to locate the fire from the alley as it moved between the first and second floors.
"Smoke kind of...lingers," said Public Information Officer Ashley Franco. "You guys know if you're at a fire, you get that smoke smell on your clothes, and that's exactly what's going to happen in these businesses."
One local business owner, Emily Ross, says this time of year is like the Super Bowl for their shop, Yobel. The news about smoke damage in the store has her concerned about the future.
"I really hope we don't have to close for the rest of the season but we'll have to see, especially with the lack of inventory," said Ross. "We're pretty much just full for Christmas, and that's it. Spring stuff doesn't come in for quite a few months."
The Local Honey Collective announced via social media that the shop is closed indefinitely due to damage to existing stock.
Are you prepared for the worst, how to get emergency alerts in Southern Colorado
Emergency response officials in El Paso and Teller counties are continuing to urge everyone to sign up for Peak Alerts.
Due to heavy and consistent rains, we did not see any major wildfires this summer in Southern Colorado. But it's never a bad time to have an emergency plan in place, as wildfire season is now an ever-present threat all year long in Southern Colorado.
Around Southern Colorado, there are multiple emergency notification systems in place to send warnings about any pending danger. In El Paso and Teller Counties, for example, it is called Peak Alerts.
Often times you can check your local county website to see what your county uses for emergency alerts. In Park County, for example, CodeRED is the emergency notification system.
"We've had natural disasters, we've had fires in our region. We've had floods. And the best way first responders can get to you, the best way to access the resources and the help that you need, and be made aware of the dangers, is Peak Alerts," said Sheriff Joe Roybal.
Emergency Response Officials in El Paso and Teller Counties say that they have not seen the sign-up numbers that they want and are hoping for.
WHEN WILL YOU BE NOTIFIED?
Oftentimes, emergency alert systems have certain levels of customization to notification settings giving you more customization as to what you find important. Peak Alerts allow for this, but will often by default alert on emergencies surrounding natural or man-made disasters, hazardous materials incidents, missing persons, law enforcement activity impacting the public, and evacuation notices to name a few.
WATCH: NOT RECEIVING EMERGENCY ALERTS? THERE IS A REASON
During the 403 Fire that burned over 1,000 acres on the border of Teller and Park Counties in April, many Peak Alert members asked why they were not receiving alerts about the 403 Fire. The answer is simple, if you are not in the emergency area or in a spot not threatened by a specific emergency, you will not be alerted to a threat.
Peak Alerts will notify you about emergencies that happen near your registered address(es). Learn more about Peak Alerts or sign up yourself here.
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