AURORA, Colo. -- Two people died and 25 were injured in an Aurora apartment building fire late Monday night, fire officials said.
Some people jumped to escape the flames when a fire started at the Fitz Apartments at 1747 N. Peoria St. around 11 p.m.
Firefighters on ladder trucks rescued several people on the upper floors.
"I've got a lot of rescues going on all around this building," a fire official radioed at one point.
A woman trapped in a fourth-floor bathroom was "screaming for help," a firefighter radioed.
Another witness told 7NEWS it appeared all the hallways were on fire.
Witness Tayveon Lewis told 7NEWS they helped rescue a family from the 4th floor.
"We ripped a canopy out of the ground, climbed up there," Lewis said. "Had them throw the baby out, caught the wife, the husband, had them climb down and rescued them."
The apartment fire was a three alarm fire, so 40 to 45 firefighters and support staff helped fight the fire.
Twenty-five people were treated on scene, 15 of them were taken to local hospitals, according to Aurora Fire Department spokesman Capt. Alan Robnett.
Several witnesses told 7NEWS that a man carrying what appeared to be a gas can was seen running from the apartments.
Robnett told 7NEWS that investigators were following up on those statements.
Robnett said he didn't know if security cameras were on during the fire.
At sunrise on Tuesday morning, firefighters were inspecting the apartment building's HVAC system.
The building has at least 40 apartments. There is extensive damage inside, Robnett said.
The apartment complex is located across the street from the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus. More than 40 people checked into a nearby Red Cross shelter.
Copyright 2012 by TheDenverChannel.com. All rights reserved.
