LOUISVILLE, Colo. — Thursday's fires destroyed hundreds of structures in Boulder County, including some businesses.
In Louisville, some businesses located in the Village Shops at Colony Square shopping center were hit the hardest.
"There was just fire everywhere," said Katie Goforth, manager at Rabbit Hole Escape Rooms.
Her business is across the parking lot from about a handful of businesses that weren't so lucky. The fire that destroyed them was just steps away from her back entrance.
"We started seeing flames over in this parking lot, and by the time, that we had come out to look at it, this was all on fire," she said while pointing at the brush behind her business.
Knowing firefighters couldn't come to put the flames out, Katie says she and her team filled buckets with water and tried their best.
"We were just running back and forth, dumping water out of buckets that we had in the store," Goforth said.
She and her staff were eventually forced to leave by law enforcement. They had to avoid the fire as they ran to their cars.
Miraculously, the business only suffered minimal damage.
"I don't know how it happened. I don't know how it's still here, but it is. And we're thankful," Goforth said.
Just arrived at this shopping center off Dillon & McCaslin in Louisville where multiple businesses are destroyed, including a restaurant called The Rotary that just opened this location earlier this month. Business owners across the street shocked they were spared. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/8CznM4Td19
— Pattrik Perez (@PattrikPerez) December 31, 2021
They're just as thankful is the crew at Star Buds Louisville, which is just a few doors down.
"I had just seen the videos and was like, 'There's no way that our building would be standing after all that, but, fortunately enough, we showed up this morning and it was," assistant store manager Kyle Kruger said.
He was watching it all unfold from home as his coworkers shared videos of the fire.
"It's devastating and heartbreaking in a sense to have what's here still and have so much loss in the area," Kruger said.
Both Goforth and Kruger say they're conflicted. They're thankful their businesses are OK, but they're saddened knowing others weren't so lucky. Now, they're on a mission to help.
"We're just doing what we can since we know that we're safe," Goforth said. "It's time to take care of everyone else."