A Denver family safely fled their burning house early Tuesday evening thanks to a quick warning from neighbors.
Dave Garcia and a visiting friend, Roberto Salas, saw smoke pouring out of the house next door. Salas and Garcia’s wife, Ruth, rushed over.
“I was just pounding on the door telling everyone to get out,” Ruth Garcia said. “I said, ‘Your house is on fire,’ and (a woman inside) said, ‘No,’ and I said, ‘Yes!’ ”
“I said, ‘Don’t open any doors; just get out.’ ”
Seven people inside, including five children, and at least two of the family dogs fled the burning house. Firefighters received the alarm at 4:43 p.m. and aggressively attacked the blaze to keep it from spreading, said Denver Fire Department spokesman Alex Paez.
Paez said seven engines were called to the scene. The fire was out by 5:02 p.m. It caused some minor damage to the Garcias’ house.
Tammy Torres, who rents the burned house, was not home at the time of the fire. It was occupied by her two children, her mother, her sister visiting from New Mexico and her sister’s three children.
Paez said the fire started in the kitchen or laundry room.
Nine-year-old Ignacio Zamarripa, who fled the house, said one dog, named Momis, was still missing.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
