DENVER --
Some Denver firefighters are having to battle much more than just flames. Hoarders are putting some firefighters and residents at risk.
Fire crews are called to home and apartment fires, only to increasingly find the dwellings filled with everything from newspapers to trash to toilet paper.
"For what ever reason, it seems to have grown exponentially over the last several years," said Lt. Phil Champagne of the Denver Fire Department.
"I was at a fire where one of the occupants had new papers stacked six feet from the floor," said Champagne.
While they don't have an exact count, investigators say these distinct cases of hoarding make a risky job even more difficult.
"We've got the challenge of trying to crawl over all of this stuff to find the occupant to get them out and to find the seat of the fire and put it out, said fire technician Mary Donlon.
Firefighters say this isn't just about their safety, it can impact yours, noting two recent cases happened in apartment buildings.
Just this week, in Denver, an elderly woman died in her high-rise apartment. The Fire Department says her unit was clearly packed with junk.
In March near Aurora, investigators say a fire stopped short of spreading to the home of a hoarder.
"Anything that can burn is going to be a problem, said Donlon.
If you think you may be living near a fire risk, call Denvers Neighborhood Inspection Services at 311.
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