A travel trailer went up in flames Monday night at the Alpen Rose RV Park in the Animas Valley north of Durango.

The fire was reported shortly after 10:40 p.m. and destroyed a 29-foot Keystone Outback travel trailer, said Karola Hanks, fire marshal with the Durango Fire Protection District.

The owners of the trailer were away in Colorado Springs at the time of the fire, Hanks said. No one was injured and no pets were inside the trailer at the time of the blaze, she said.

The trailer had been parked at Alpen Rose, 27847 U.S. Highway 550, for a couple of months, she said.

“It's not uncommon for RV parks nowadays to have tenants that are longer-term,” Hanks said. “There are people who live in motor homes or trailers or travel trailers, and that's their main home, and they may stay someplace for three, four or six months or whatever.”

The cause of the fire remained under investigation Tuesday night, she said.

Residents at the park reported hearing loud pop sounds like propane tanks exploding, but Hanks said the blasts were most likely pressure explosions from inside the trailer. It is also possible the tires made popping sounds as they burned and exploded, she said.

Park residents reported flames reaching more than 20 feet into the air. The trailer was fully involved in flames by the time DFPD was paged out to the call, Hanks said.

“One of the things about RVs – whether they be the drivable units or they're the travel trailers – is that when they do catch fire, they go up very quickly,” Hanks said.

Flames were mostly contained to the trailer, but a car parked nearby sustained slight damage, Hanks said.

shane@durangoherald.com