Investigation finds outdoor AC work sparked apartment blaze in west Fort Collins
The Poudre Fire Authority has completed its investigation into the apartment complex fire that broke out Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, in west Fort Collins, determining the blaze was caused by soldering work on an air-conditioning unit outside the building.
According to Poudre Fire Authority officials, a spark from soldering on a ground-floor air conditioner ignited a nearby juniper bush. Flames then spread to the exterior of the two-story apartment complex in the 1200 block of West Prospect Road, traveling up the side of the building and into the attic. Fires in attic spaces can be especially challenging in multi-family buildings because the spaces often connect multiple units.
This fire update follows our earlier coverage of the incident at https://northfortynews.com/category/news/neighbors-help-evacuate-as-fort-collins-apartment-attic-fire-spreads/, where neighbors helped evacuate residents as firefighters responded…