BOULDER COUNTY, Colo — One year after a fire at the Caribou Village Shopping Center rocked the Nederland community, the ATF National Center for Explosives Training and Research said it is close to finalizing its investigative findings.
The ATF issued a statement on Friday, acknowledging the one-year anniversary of the devastating fire and thanking the community for their patience as they work to complete the investigation.
Previous Coverage: Evacuation order in effect due to fire at Caribou Village Shopping Center
“Investigating a commercial fire of this magnitude requires an exhaustive amount of time, specialized expertise, and rigorous laboratory testing analysis to deliver a complete origin and cause report. The Nederland community deserves an investigation built on unquestionable accuracy, and that level of precision takes time,” the statement reads in part.
The fire started early in the morning on October 9, 2025, and evacuations were ordered shortly afterward. The fire severely damaged about 20 businesses in the shopping center.
No injuries were reported in the blaze.
Previous Coverage: Demolition begins at Caribou Village Shopping Center
The ATF stated that while they don’t yet have an exact date for the release of the report, they confirmed they are in the final stages of review and lab testing.
Read the full statement from the ATF below:
"One year ago, ATF’s National Response Team (NRT) was deployed at the request of local public safety authorities to assist with the large-scale commercial fire at the Caribou Village Shopping Center. We know this fire devastated the tight-knit Nederland community, not only on an economic level, but on a deeply personal one.
Caribou Village was a local hub where memories were made, friendships were built, and communities were forged. We recognize this tremendous loss, and understand the frustration that naturally comes with waiting for answers.
Investigating a commercial fire of this magnitude requires an exhaustive amount of time, specialized expertise, and rigorous laboratory testing analysis to deliver a complete origin and cause report. The Nederland community deserves an investigation built on unquestionable accuracy, and that level of precision takes time.
When activated, the NRT brings elite, specialized assets directly to local partners. Our team includes certified fire investigators, certified explosives specialists, senior special agents, forensic chemists, electrical engineers, fire protection engineers, digital forensic specialists, intelligence research specialists, and explosives and accelerant detection canine teams. Supporting our investigators on the ground is the ATF Fire Research Laboratory, the nation’s only large-scale research facility dedicated solely to fire science and arson investigation, equipped with cutting-edge technology to analyze evidence.
Because every large-scale fire presents unique scientific challenges, we cannot provide an exact publication date for our final report. However, we can confirm that we are currently in the final stages of technical review and laboratory testing.
Once finalized, our findings will be provided directly to the Nederland Fire Protection District and partner public safety agencies. The report will become available via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request once local authorities deem the overall investigation is closed. Please note that our process operates independently and does not delay or prevent parallel investigations conducted by insurance providers.
We hear your frustration, and we deeply appreciate your continued patience. We remain fully committed to completing this investigation as swiftly as thorough science allows, fully recognizing that these answers are a crucial step toward rebuilding livelihoods in Nederland."
