CENTENNIAL, Colo. (KDVR) — Neighbors in a Centennial neighborhood are thankful for a fast-thinking Arapahoe County Sheriff’s deputy who helped stop a grass fire in Centennial – with a fire extinguisher.
The deputy’s efforts were captured by a body-worn camera. Time was ticking as Deputy Bullard tried to fight the quickly spreading grass fire at Lookout Park.
Bullard can be seen handling the fire extinguisher as he goes along the fire line, trying to stop the grass fire. Then the deputy sees flames heading for a wooden fence and a neighborhood near the 21500 block of East Crestline Drive.
“Hey, I could use another; my extinguisher is out! Hey, come this way, I’m trying to keep it away from the fence line!” Bullard could be heard saying on the body cam video.
Another deputy hands the deputy a backup tank. Meanwhile, families in the neighborhood scrambled to protect their homes.
FOX31 was able to acquire video showing a group of people with water hoses spraying their backyard. Flames could be seen shooting above the fence line.
The person who provided the video said they feared the fire would spread to their home. South Metro Fire Rescue can be seen arriving and helping put the fire out.
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department says two teens were seen lighting fireworks at the park just before the fire started.
The hot, dry weather and thick brush raise the fire risk, according to South Metro Fire Rescue.
“Recently, with all this hot weather, that vegetation has really browned up and dried out. And so now we have a problem where we have high dry vegetation and it’s going to spark a fire and that fire is really going to spread quickly,” SMFR Lead Public Information Officer Brian Willie said.
No homes were damaged.
“That was too close for comfort,” a neighbor named Maria said.
No arrests have been made in the case, according to the Arapahoe County sheriff spokesperson.
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