Overnight Fire At 'The Shootist' Gun Store & Range Forces Evacuations
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - Investigators say a gun range and store in Englewood is a complete loss after being destroyed by fire early Thursday morning. The fire started at approximately 4 a.m.
The store and range is called The Shootist Gun Range, Inc., and it's located at 2980 South Galapego Street.
Englewood Police Sgt. Chad Reed said the gun range located near Dartmouth and Santa Fe, is a complete loss. There's a gun store upstairs and a range downstairs.
By the time first responders arrived on scene, the building was fully engulfed in flames.
"Oh my God, it looked like an inferno fire at the pistol range," said Barbara Archuleta, the businesses neighbor of more than 40 years.
Due to the contents inside the building, including firearms and ammo, police worked to evacuate the surrounding neighborhood. Reverse 911 notifications were issued to more than 50 nearby homes and businesses and they were evacuated for about 90 minutes.
"I was worried that my house was going to catch on fire ... with the pistols, ammunition going off," Archuletta said. "It's terrible. We've lived here 41 years and we've never had anything like this."
Englewood police spokesman Chad Reed said someone saw flames coming from the building and called 911.
"We evacuated folks on both sides of the business rather quickly," Englewood Police Sgt. Chad Reed said. "(Firefighters were) dealing with a fire and ammunition inside the business."
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined by arson investigators. Reed said it did not appear anybody was inside the business at the time of the fire. No injuries were reported, either.
"This is going to take some time, this is not something that will be wrapped up fairly quickly," Reed said.
Staff members, and the owner, gathered outside the facility during the investigation. One staff member described the business as a "second home" to most who frequent it.
The owner wished not to speak on camera, but said his entire inventory was a loss in the fire. He thanked the community for their outpouring of support.
