14 boxes and about 200 seats went up in flames at Denver Broncos' stadium last week. Thanks to quick action by the fire department, the flames did not take most of the arena, but heavy smoke was visible for miles around.

Nearly 1,000 square feet of the east side of the stands was taken up by the flames at Empower Field at Mile High. The fire department received the call at around 2:15 PM, and half an hour later the flames were under control. Even though a sprinkler system worked in time to prevent the fire from spreading faster, it required the action of 75 firefighters to effectively extinguish it.

© Denver Fire Department

Clouds of smoke and flammable seats

So far, the cause of the fire has not been established. It is known that the fire started in the part where the renovation works were carried out. The most important information is the fact that no one was hurt - neither the people involved in the renovation, nor the tour participants who were visiting the stadium at the time.

Despite the quick action, the firefighters were not able to prevent the damages. Almost 200 seats and 14 suites were burnt. It was in the VIP area that the first flames were observed, which then quickly escaped outside to the stands. 

This type of plastic that the seats are composed of burns with not only significant ferocity ... but also produces a tremendous amount of black smoke Capt. Greg Pixley, a spokesman for the fire department, said.

© Denver Fire Department

Black clouds coming from inside the stadium were visible all over Denver downtown. The dramatic view also caused traffic jams on Interstate 25, which runs close to the stadium.

First “design-build” tender in the NFL

Empower Field at Mile High Stadium can accommodate 76,125 fans and offers 8,300 VIP seats and 144 suites. It was inaugurated on August 11, 2001, and replaced the old Mile High Stadium, whose site today is a parking lot for the fans.

© Darren

The design of the new stadium was the NFL's first-ever "design-build" tender. Like its predecessor, the facility has a characteristic design with 3 three-tiered stands and one single-tiered stand on the south side. In 2013, the venue underwent its first significant upgrade. At a cost of $32 million, the screens and other audio-visual systems were replaced.

Who will buy the Broncos?

The stadium fire is not the only news that has electrified Denver Broncos fans in recent days. It appears that the NFL club and its facility may change ownership in the near future. Laconic statements on the subject have been appearing for several months now, but finally now we have a clear statement.

© Roy Barnett Jr 

Broncos CEO, Joe Ellis, has confirmed that there are a number of potential buyers interested in purchasing the club for more than $4 million. He also indicated that the deal should be finalised before the September start of the NFL season. Ellis did not reveal who is a possible buyer of the team from Denver, but the Westword site has listed names such as Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, famous rapper Jay-Z and former Broncos quarterback and one of the greatest football players in history - Peyton Manning.