tom aurnhammer's
Fire Photography
Mancos, CO - 901 Grand Avenue
May 8th, 2017 at 1255 hours
On May 8th, 2017, at 1255 hours, the Mancos Fire Department was dispatched to a reported building fire at the Western Excelsior Corporation located at 901 Grand Avenue. Before being brought under control, this incident required the assistance of multiple fire agencies from Colorado and New Mexico. Water supply issues, a large amount of combustible materials, and wind conditions added to the many challenges that early arriving units faced. The facility processes wood to create erosion-control products such as shaved aspen, also known as excelsior. According to Mancos Fire Chief Tony Aspromonte the fire was contained to the inside of the warehouse and offices, and that it did not extend to the site’s adjacent lumber yard. By midafternoon, 45 to 50 firefighters had responded to the Mancos Fire Department’s mutual aid request. Assistance was provided from fire departments in Cortez, Dolores, Pleasant View, Towaoc, Lewis, Fort Lewis, Rico, and San Juan County, NM.