Aspen, Snowmass firefighters respond to store fire

The Aspen Volunteer Fire Department, with assistance from the Snowmass-Wildcat Fire Protection District, responded to a small fire at the Sherwin-Williams paint store in the Aspen Business Center early Wednesday.

Firefighters were alerted by emergency dispatchers at 4:35 a.m., according to Aspen Fire Chief Rick Balentine, who arrived at the store at 4:40 a.m. Four fire engines from Aspen and one from Snowmass Village responded to the incident at 304 Aspen Airport Business Center Road, he said, along with more than 20 firefighters and emergency responders.

He said the fire originated in a back room of the store. Four nearby apartments were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The store contains many flammable items such as paint, paint thinner and other chemicals.

“We were moments away from it being a much bigger ordeal,” said Balentine.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, the fire chief said. The store was open for business Wednesday.