DENVER ( KDVR ) — A fire that started from a space heater destroyed a small apartment building, displaced four people and killed two cats Friday morning.
The fire happened in a small apartment building with five units located near 12th Avenue and Ammons Street. West Metro Fire Rescue said crews were dispatched to the scene at 4:47 a.m.
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Two of the units were unoccupied, and West Metro Fire Rescue said an electric space heater in one of the unoccupied units is believed to have caused the fire. The space heater was allegedly being used to keep pipes from freezing.
Firefighters were on the scene within five minutes of being dispatched.
“This was a challenging fire for crews, as there were layers of complete roof structures (not just roofing material), connecting the apartment units. The fire extended into the ceiling and then up through the first roof layer, which allowed it to move through the attic space,” WMFR said in a post on X.