Colorado Springs HAZMAT Fire

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

On Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 14:54, the Colorado Springs Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire at Microchip Technology, 1150 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. Truck 4 was the first company to arrive on scene and declared a working structure fire. Firefighters’ prior knowledge of and pre-incident planning for the facility helped crews quickly identify the hazards involved and determine the appropriate firefighting strategy. Further investigation determined that a cylinder containing silane gas had ignited. Because of the properties of silane and the hazards associated with the burning cylinder, firefighters did not immediately attempt to extinguish the fire. Applying water or directly extinguishing the flame could have created additional hazards. HazMat crews responded and worked closely with Microchip Technology staff to develop a plan to safely manage the incident. The fire remained contained to the secure safety cabinet where the cylinder was stored. Facility safety systems operated as designed and helped contain the fire. Because of the potential hazards associated with silane gas, including spontaneous ignition, combustion, and toxicity, a pre-evacuation warning was issued for the surrounding area at 4:04 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters and HazMat crews remained on scene throughout the evening and overnight, continuously monitoring conditions as the fire was allowed to burn in a controlled environment.

At approximately 1:50 a.m. Monday, August 17, crews observed that the flame had gone out. Fire crews continued monitoring the cylinder and worked with Microchip Technology and specialized silane experts from Denver to safely control the cylinder valve and remove the affected cylinder from the cabinet. After confirming conditions were safe and there was no active leak being detected, the pre-evacuation warning was lifted at 10:56 a.m. Monday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Additional information provided by the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

Agencies on scene:

Colorado Springs Fire Department, Colorado Springs Police Department, and American Medical Response – Colorado Springs.

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department

Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Springs Fire Department