Gas Fire Could Burn For Days

BYERS, Colo. (CBS) - A fire burning at a natural gas storage well in eastern Colorado could be burning for several days.

Colorado Interstate Gas said they don't know how the fire started, but it was first noticed early Sunday morning. The fire is burning some equipment above ground that's part of the facility, which is named Latigo Storage Field. It's located near County Road 193 southeast of Byers.

A special response team from Texas called Wild Well arrived on Sunday night but they won't be doing a lot to stop the fire yet. Crews say it will likely need to burn its course.

"It continues to burn and once we get in there and determine the best way to extinguish the fire then we will be able to shut everything down," Colorado Interstate spokesman Robert Newberry said.

Officials closed roads around the area while they worked to control the blaze. Arapahoe County sheriff's officials said there were no mandatory evacuations in the area but they did ask that homeowners who live near the well leave for safety reasons. Most decided to risk it stay in their homes.

Gary Knutsen's home is across a field from the fire. He says flames were as high as 50 feet on Sunday.

"It's kind of scary to have this close to our house," he said.

Knutsen shared the following photo with CBS4 soon after the fire started: