An unattended candle caused a fire in an Arvada condominium this morning, leaving its residents without a home.
Arvada firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze at 10353 W. 80th Drive after arriving at about 9:01 a.m.
The residents weren’t on the scene, said Scott Pribble, Arvada Fire Department spokesman. “They may be able to go back in and get a few of their items, but they will not be able to stay there,” he said.
Flames were shooting out of a front window of the ground-floor condo when firefighters arrived. Crews were able to contain the blaze to the living room, but there was smoke and heat damage throughout the unit.
The fire was out in about 30 minutes.
A family in an adjacent unit evacuated without injury.
The Arvada Fire Department will work with local agencies to assist the family who lost their home. The Red Cross Mile High Chapter is involved, and the agency says one adult and three children were displaced.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles are the source of about 15,000 house fires annually and lead to about $539 million in direct property losses. The estimated loss in today’s fire is not yet available.
To prevent fires started by candles, the Arvada Fire Department and the NFPA offer these safety tips:
