ARVADA — Neighbors say the man who lived at 5240 Dover St. was “quiet” yet “friendly.” He worked a night shift job for a grocery chain until he was let go recently. He did odd jobs, including woodworking, during the day.
His house burned down early Tuesday, and fire officials say they found a man’s body in the front room.
His name has not been released.
Firefighters were called out about 4:40 a.m., said Scott Pribble, spokesman for the Arvada Fire Protection District.
The first crews entered the small, single-story house to fight the blaze and search for victims but intense heat forced them outside, Pribble said. Firefighters continued battling the fire from outdoors.
It took firefighters several hours to safely access the body because the intense fire had weakened the roof and the floor had collapsed. The front of the home was charred and gutted.
Fire investigators are trying to determine the cause of the fire, Pribble said.
Rodney Brewer, a neighbor, said he was awakened about 5 a.m. by police pounding at his door.
“They told us we had to evacuate,” said Brewer, who lives two houses down from the burned-out home. “It was very chaotic.”
The house was a “blaze” when Brewer left his own home, he said.
“When we walked out,” he said, “you could feel the heat.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
