Dec. 30--Fires ripped through two Fort Lupton homes late Saturday and early Sunday, one of which trapped two on a roof, sent four to a hospital and killed several pets.
The blazes caused significant damage to both homes, Fort Lupton Fire Chief Phil Tiffany said.
"Our hearts go out to the families," he said.
The first fire, reported about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, consumed a mobile home near the intersection of Weld County Road 6 and U.S. 85. Tiffany said the mobile home was unoccupied as the family was on vacation.
The home was significantly damaged by smoke and heat, but the family has not been notified, Tiffany said. That fire is suspected to have started near a water heater, and investigators are working to determine a cause.
Tiffany said about 4:15 a.m. Sunday, reports came in of a house fire at 1004 Village Drive where two people were trapped on a roof. He said crews were already in the area and responded quickly to find that a woman had jumped from the roof of the two-story house and a man was still trapped. Two children had already escaped.
Heavy smoke and steam made for "zero visibility," but crews followed the man's voice and rescued him using a ladder, Tiffany said.
The woman suffered some injuries after jumping from the roof and the man and children suffered smoke inhalation. They were transported to Platte Valley Medical Center and all are expected to recover. Tiffany said several cats and two dogs were killed in the fire, and firefighters found another cat still alive in the house.
The home is considered a total loss. The Red Cross has been notified to help.
Tiffany said crews worked until about 11:30 a.m. to extinguish the fire and the freezing temperatures made it extremely difficult to fight. He said a fire hydrant, hoses and valves kept freezing, but having crews from Brighton, Gilcrest-Platteville and Frederick-Firestone fire districts helped them work through those issues quickly. Fort Lupton Police also helped immensely, Tiffany said.
"We're lucky this wasn't a fatal fire," he said.
Copyright 2012 - Greeley Tribune, Colo.
