Approximately seven tons of hay burned Monday after hay on a flatbed truck caught fire near C-470 north of the Morrison Road exit, fire officials said.
West Metro Fire Protection District spokeswoman Cindy Matthews said that about half of the 45 bales ignited about 11 a.m. Monday. The northbound lanes of the highway were immediately closed and traffic re-routed.
The fire was reported by the flatbed driver late Monday morning. He told 911 dispatchers the hay was on fire and he was disconnecting the cab from the trailer.
Matthews said half the load burned. Matthews said front loaders were then brought in to unload the burned hay.
Once the portion that burned was unloaded from the flatbed, the driver reattached the cab and drove off with the unburned bales.
However, the burned portion, once on the ground and exposed to fresh air, reignited, said Matthews. Firemen soaked the burned hay with more water.
It took a total of three hours for firefighters to extinguish the fire and another hour to complete the mop-up.
The highway re-opened about 3 p.m.
Originally, water was trucked by tender to the firefighting equipment because of a lack of hydrants in the rural area.
Three engines, a ladder truck and an ambulance responded to the scene, said Matthews.
Matthews said that a portable tank was set up near the blaze. The ladder truck, using water from the tank, shot powerful streams of water down onto the blazing hay, she said.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
