The home where an infant died Monday morning had only one source of heat, an improperly installed wood-burning stove, firefighters said.
About 8:15 a.m., the Denver Fire Department was called to a home in the 15000 block of East 43rd Avenue. When firefighters arrived, they discovered only smoke in the home.
Firefighters also found carbon-monoxide levels in the home slightly above acceptable levels, said Lt. Phil Champagne, a Denver fire spokesman.
An 8-month-old boy, identified by the coroner’s office as Trino A. Miranda, was found in “extreme distress” by firefighters, Champagne said.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson said the boy was pronounced dead and that homicide detectives are investigating the incident. The coroner’s office said an autopsy will be conducted today.
Relatives who gathered in front of the two-story home in the Montbello neighborhood were extremely distraught.
One of the neighbors, Juanita Jones, said she heard the firetruck and police arrive and that a short time later she heard women crying: “I just heard them running up and down the streets crying, ‘Oh my God, oh my God,’ ” Jones said.
She came out of her house and saw a group of women hugging and trying to comfort one another.
Jones said the family has lived in the neighborhood about five years. It includes parents and teenage children. Jones said she was disturbed by the child’s death.
“It’s horrific,” she said. “Just a baby. It’s hard to explain.”
Champagne said the only source of heat for the home was an improperly vented wood stove.
No one else in the home showed any signs of carbon- monoxide poisoning, Champagne said.
The infant was found in a part of the home that was not close to the stove, Champagne said.
Heat your home safely
Firefighters respond to more house fires this time of year as winter weather kicks in, said Lt. Phil Champagne, Denver fire spokesman. Below are tips for heating your home safely:
Use only heat sources manufactured for indoor use.
Follow the instructions on devices to heat your home.
Do not use appliances inside the home that are intended for outdoor use. These appliances include camping stoves, lanterns, propane heaters, barbecue grills and other similar heat sources.
Use carbon-monoxide detectors on any floors in a home where there are sleeping quarters.
Sources: Lt. Phil Champagne, Denver fire spokesman; Mark Stutz, Xcel Energy spokesman
