Denver fire investigators cannot tell what caused the City Park bandstand to catch fire on an early March morning or whether the fire was an accident or set intentionally, public safety officials said Thursday.
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The Denver Fire Department’s investigation unit ruled the cause of the fire as undetermined after almost five months looking into the case, the Denver Department of Public Safety said in a news release.
Fire crews responded to the park at 2:40 a.m. March 26 after Denver Zoo security workers called in the fire, and firefighters arrived on scene to find the structure already fully consumed.
Although city officials initially said the overnight fire was suspicious, investigators did not find enough evidence to determine what happened.
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Investigators reviewed video, inspected the bandstand’s electrical system and ordered forensic tests on fire debris to check for ignitable liquids. They found nothing unusual in the electrical system and no evidence of ignitable liquids, and they could not identify anyone who saw the fire start.
Denver Parks and Recreation leaders are planning to demolish the charred bandstand this fall after inspectors determined the structure could not be salvaged.
Denver’s City Park Jazz series, which hosts free concerts from the bandstand throughout the summer, rented a mobile stage for the season, and city officials expect to have the new bandstand finished in time for 2027.
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