Silverton Being Asked To Conserve Water After 17-Hour Long Firefight

SILVERTON, Colo. (AP/CBS4) - A fire that destroyed a historical building in Silverton over the weekend led to power, internet and cellphone outages and used more than half of the town's stored water. Cellular service was restored early Monday morning, officials say.

The fire started Saturday night and took nearly 17 hours to extinguish in sub-freezing temperatures. It used so much water that city officials asked for voluntary conservation until water storage tanks can refill.

Patrons at a brewery spotted the fire, but couldn't use their cellphones to call 911. Fortunately, the brewery had a landline.

The power, internet and cellphone lines run behind the building that was destroyed.

Water Conservation Tips

• Always turn taps off tightly so they do not drip.
• When hand-washing dishes, never run water continuously. Wash dishes in a partially filled sink and then rinse them using the spray attachment on your tap.
• If you have an electric dishwasher, use it only to wash full loads, and use the shortest cycle possible. Many dishwashers have a conserver/water-miser cycle.
• When brushing your teeth, turn the water off while you are actually brushing. Use short bursts of water for cleaning your brush. (This saves about 80% of the water normally used.)
• When washing or shaving, partially fill the sink and use that water rather than running the tap continuously. (This saves about 60% of the water normally used.) Use short bursts of water to clean razors.
• Wash only full loads in your washing machine.
• Use the shortest cycle possible for washing clothes, and use the "suds-saver" feature if your machine has one.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)