Photos/Story by John Carr

A resident of 12240 E. Pacific Circle reported started a two alarm fire in her Aurora Colorado home. The fire caused more than $600,000 damage to three of the four homes in the fourplex.

At 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2002 the Aurora (Colorado) Fire Department was alerted to a structure fire on East Pacific Circle. 911 operators fielded more than 15 calls reporting the blaze. Arriving first, Engine 7 found heavy fire spewing from a second floor deck. The fire was extending into the interior and the attic. The structure known as a fourplex is actually (2) attached two story duplex homes. Engine 7 immediately initiated an agressive interior attack. Upon his arrival, and after conducting a quick exterior walk around I.C. Mike Garcia, Battalion 2, requested a second alarm.

The fire had taken hold of the second floor and attic of the original fire building and was speading to the other part of the duplex. Arriving first and second alarm crews set out to attack the fast moving flames. The fire was brought under control in about an hour but not until it had destroyed one home and heavily damaging two others.

The Aurora Fire Department responded with 4 engines, 2 trucks, a R.I.T. team, and numerous Chiefs and investigators. Approximately 50 firefighters battled the fire. Investigators' preliminary report has the fire being started accidently. A resident of the original fire building reportedly was smoking on the second floor balcony prior to leaving for work. She thought she had extinguished the cigarette. Invertigators believe the smoldering cigarette ignited pine needles on the deck, then spread to the interior of the house.

Neighbors who discovered the fire quickly attempted to enter the burning home. They were able to rescue the family's pets, a dog and a cat, from the first floor as the fire raged above their heads. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. An engineer from Engine 7 suffered a knee injury, and a second firefighter was bitten by the rescued cat.