Fire, Fire

Fire, Fire. Historic Olde Town Walking Tour. , Fire, Fire! , May 14, 1960, 5:19 pm: The alarm sounded. , The Metz Lumber Company was ablaze at this site in downtown Arvada! Sparks flew and roofs of most downtown buildings began to burn. The fire was so hot; 1,000 feet of fire hose burned in the street and intense heat blew out store windows. The fire could be seen for miles. People came from surrounding towns to view the spectacle. , The 25 member Arvada Volunteer Fire Department was on scene by 5:20 pm some in street clothes. Chief Fritz Sedlmayr led the assault on the blaze, quickly requesting assistance from seven area fire companies. The Chief was concerned about water and Arvada’s police went door-to-door asking citizens to not use water. The fire was contained in 90 minutes, and firemen tended the site for days until the smothering embers were cold. , The Arvada community rallied to battle the blaze. Citizens brought food, coffee, and water to the firemen. Grocery stores donated supplies. Doctors donated their skills to help with injuries. , The rapid response of Arvada’s volunteer firemen saved Arvada’s downtown, the activity center of early Jefferson County. Most of the downtown buildings from the 19th and early 20th century stand today as a testament to the tradition of excellence maintained to this day by Arvada’s firefighters.