Nederland, Colorado, residents evacuated as fire engulfs Caribou Village Shopping Center, cause under investigation

A fire broke out early Thursday morning at the Caribou Village Shopping Center in Nederland, Colorado, forcing nearby residents to evacuate as firefighters battled the blaze.

According to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy first spotted the flames around 4:30 a.m. at one of the shopping center’s buildings, located along the Peak to Peak Highway in the heart of town. No injuries or casualties have been reported.

As a precaution, evacuation orders were quickly issued for neighborhoods surrounding the shopping center. The affected areas stretched between Peak to Peak and Peakview, Peak to Peak and Bridge west to Highway 119 and Hurricane Hill, and south of Highway 119 between Bridge and Hurricane Hill.

Authorities also closed Big Springs and CO 119, known locally as Bridge Street, to allow crews to contain the fire safely.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and evacuation orders are expected to remain in place until conditions improve.