Two Westminster police officers rescued a man from his burning apartment about 12:45 a.m. today after his futon caught fire, according to the Westminster Fire Department.
The officers were at the apartment complex in the 4900 block of 81st Place on another matter when they smelled smoke and heard a smoke alarm, according to Diana Allen, spokeswoman for the Westminster Fire Department.
They found the apartment and saw smoke coming from inside. When they opened the unlocked apartment door, they were met with heavy black smoke, said Allen.
They immediately notified both Westminster fire and police and began evacuating the apartment complex.
One of the officers then returned to the apartment, got down on his hands and knees and made his way into the apartment where he spotted the arm of the victim along a wall. He then called for his partner and together they were able to pull the victim out.
Allen said that the victim was taken to a local hospital where he is expected to recover.
Allen said the starting point of the fire was on a futon and the cause of the fire was careless use of cigarettes.
Westminster firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire and the other residents were allowed to return to their apartments.
Damage was estimated at about $2,000.
Allen said that smokers need to make sure their cigarettes are properly discarded.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
