Man clings to life after blaze at Wash Park home

By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 16, 2009 at 7:04 a.m.
Updated January 16, 2009 at 2:42 p.m.

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Brian Lehmann © The Rocky

A man was rescued after a fire that destroyed his home around 1:30 a.m. Friday morning January 16, 2009 at 864 S. Pennsylvania St., in Denver, Colorado.

A Washington Park man is clinging to life after neighbors hearing crashing sounds and seeing flames called 911 early this morning, alerting firefighters who dragged the man from his house.

"The neighbors looked out their windows, saw the fire and called it in," Denver fire spokesman Joe Hart said of the blaze that was spotted about 1:35 this morning at 864 S. Pennsylvania St.

"The neighbors tried to make a rescue, but the front of the house was totally engulfed, and they couldn't get in the back door," Hart said.

Firefighters from Truck 16 made their way through the back door and found the victim lying on the floor inside the back door, Hart said.

"They pulled him out and started CPR," Hart said. "When Denver Health and Hospitals paramedics arrived they took over the resuscitation and took the man to Denver Health Medical Center."

The one-story brick structure with dormer windows was a total loss, Hart said. "Nothing is left but the four outside walls. The roof is trashed, ready to fall in. The inside is gutted."

A house just south of the destroyed home suffered minor damage.

• January 16, 2009

  7:19 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  crtf writes:

  Where's the story of the Denver cop who burned down his own restaurant in Nebraska? Not newsworthy or censorship?

• January 16, 2009

  8:49 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Scott writes:

  All praises and honors to the brave neighbors and firemen.

  God be with this man and his family during this time.

  Scott

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