Colorado Springs – Crews removed the body of one of two victims of the fire at the Castle West apartments on Friday, police Lt. Rafael Cintron said.
He said the body, that of a male, was recovered about 3:15 p.m. The victim’s identity was not known, but he was described as Caucasian or Hispanic, possibly in his 40s or 50s.
An autopsy will be conducted this week.
Efforts continued to recover the second victim.
Meanwhile, crews shored up the walls of the apartment building to make it safe to search further.
The fire at the three-story, 135-unit complex broke out early Tuesday morning. The cause was not known.
The Red Cross said 131 people were displaced. Police were not sure if anyone was unaccounted for because the manager’s list of tenants was destroyed by the fire.
Fire officials have said they have no way of knowing whether a more intensive search will turn up bodies.
Gene Johnson, 36, and his cousin Derrick Nicholas Johnson, 23, have been arrested for investigation of first-degree murder in connection with the fire.
Police Lt. Rafael Cintron said Derrick Nicholas Johnson had allegedly been involved in a domestic dispute with a woman who lived at the complex with her child.
