Fire Threatened Historic Inga’s Alpine Tavern
by Amber Wyatt
Blazing Inferno: The Leetsdale Drive fire was the largest in Denver for decades but fortunately resulted in only one fireman being injured
A five-alarm fire tore through the Harker Heights apartment complex under construction along Leetsdale Drive along the Glendale-Denver border on Friday evening, January 3, sending thick black smoke into the sky, knocking out power for nearby blocks, and forcing evacuations on the border of Denver and Glendale.
The 283-unit development was scheduled to open in May, but officials said the building had not yet been outfitted with a sprinkler system or interior drywall, allowing flames to spread rapidly through exposed construction materials. At one point, the fire sparked a smaller blaze behind the neighboring Sherwin-Williams paint store, which crews quickly extinguished.
Individual Arrested
Suspect: Convicted felon Tony Becerra of Aurora was arrested in connection with the five-alarm fire on Leetsdale Drive.
It was the largest fire in Denver in decades and encompassing an area equal to four football fields. With unusual alacrity the Denver Fire Department (DFD) announced on January 14, 2026, that they had arrested Tony Becerra, 38, of Aurora as a result of a joint arson investigation of the DFD and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Surveillance footage has the suspect entering and leaving the construction site shortly before the fire started and other cameras tracked his movements after leaving the site. He is shown carrying a black bag. The exact origin and cause of the fire have not yet been determined.
Becerra had been previously convicted of felony trespassing and had an active warrant from June 2025 for failing to appear for another trespassing charge. In keeping with Denver city policy his immigration status was not revealed.
Evacuations And Power Losses
Neighborhood Watch: Homeowner watched and worried as the fire roared. Homes on East Dakota Ave. on the north were noticeably damaged.
Roughly 1,000 Xcel Energy customers lost power as firefighters battled the flames, and the Glendale Police Department opened an overnight shelter at the Glendale Event Center for people displaced by the evacuation orders and outages.
Denver Police issued evacuations for residents of about 10 to 15 homes behind the construction site, where residents watched the fire climb high above rooftops.
“It looked like the building was blowing up,” said South Hilltop resident Caitlyn Molner, who lives directly behind the site. “I saw the flames in the reflection of my refrigerator.”
Molner said she and her husband fled with their four-month-old baby and dogs within minutes as the heat intensified near their home.
“I was afraid our house was going to burn down,” she said. “The firefighters did an incredible job keeping it out of our home.”
Historic Tavern Narrowly Spared
Photo by: Caitlin Spano
For many neighbors, the fire carried an additional fear: that it might destroy Inga’s Alpine Tavern, a longtime community fixture next door to the burning complex. The tavern sits in a building that dates back to 1954 and has served multiple generations of residents as both the neighborhood and the surrounding business corridor evolved.
“I’ve never seen one like it in Denver,” said Jeff Hansen, whose family built the structure in the 1950s and now owns it. “We’re just grateful Inga’s made it.”
The restaurant’s owner, Mary McKnabb, said she was not on site when the fire broke out, but her son Peter, the manager on duty, called her shortly after flames erupted nearby.
“About 10 minutes later the police showed up and told them they had to evacuate immediately,” McKnabb said. “Fire trucks were blocking Leetsdale. The parking lot was almost inaccessible.”
McKnabb said her son secured the business quickly before leaving, unsure what would remain by morning.
“He told me, ‘Mom, I thought the place wouldn’t be here tomorrow,’” she said.
Although the building survived, smoke and disruption have affected business operations in the days since. Inga’s lost power and connectivity, forcing the tavern to operate on a limited basis.
“We have a backup internet that sort of works,” McKnabb said. “We can run credit cards, but we can’t print receipts or kitchen tickets. We’re handwriting everything.”
Residents Describe Intense Heat, Smoke Damage
Hose Deployment: Fire engines capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of water a minute had to be refueled at least four times during the night of the fire.
In the South Hilltop neighborhood behind the construction site, residents described flames reaching an estimated 100 feet and heat strong enough to threaten nearby homes. Alan Rivoir, who lives just behind the site, said he was away in Littleton when his landlord called to warn him.
“He said, ‘The building behind us is burning down and the heat is intense,’” Rivoir said.
Rivoir rushed to make arrangements for his three dogs as evacuation orders spread. He said his home did not catch fire, but smoke from burning construction materials caused significant damage and required full remediation.
Fire’s Remnants: Residue from the five alarm Leetsdale fire highlights the destruction and loss brought about by the event. Photo: Kevin J. Beaty
“The wind saved us,” Rivoir said. “If it had shifted, those 100-foot flames would have wiped out our whole block.”
Fire Contained After Heavy Response
Firefighters used heavyweight equipment to move debris as crews worked to fully extinguish hot spots. Officials reported that 156 firefighters responded and that several engines capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of water per minute had to be refueled at least four times overnight due to the scale of the blaze.
Hose Deployment: Fire engines capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of water a minute had to be refueled at least four times during the night of the fire.
Following the fire, nearby businesses began reopening as conditions improved. Inga’s reopened to serve residents returning from evacuations who did not want to cook.
The Jewish Community Center remained closed through January 4 to prevent smoke from entering the building, while air purifiers ran throughout the facility. In a statement, the center thanked first responders and said it was collecting items of appreciation for nearby fire stations, including fresh challah bread.
Frightful Flames: Flames from Leetsdale Drive apartment construction site fire flare above the nearby Greek Orthodox Cathedral
The Assumption of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Metropolis Cathedral, located nearby, said it did not sustain smoke damage.
Questions remain as investigation continues
The cause of the fire has not been officially determined. Investigators said they were considering all possibilities, including reports of fireworks in the area.
The property is owned by Embrey, a Texas-based real estate investment company. Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives are assisting, deploying a National Response Team that includes certified fire investigators, explosives specialists, engineers, and forensic chemists, along with an accelerant detection canine.
Photo by: Zachary Roulier
Despite the destruction of the unfinished apartment complex, many residents expressed relief that the fire did not spread further into surrounding businesses and homes.
“Thank you to the firefighters, because I don’t know how all of these homes aren’t burned down,” Mark Lampert told Denver7. “I mean, seriously, it’s a miracle.”
For Molner, the memory of the night still feels unreal.
“We were lucky,” she said. “So lucky. And we owe everything to the firefighters who kept it from getting worse.”
