Charitable funds to help two injured firefighters are being derailed to an incorrect address, likely by a thief, firefighters warn.
Two Arvada firefighters were injured, with burns to their upper bodies, on April 3 while fighting house fires at 6555 and 6565 Union Street.
A fund was set up to benefit the firefighters, one who still remains in a hospital, and someone is fraudulently soliciting for the fund and instructing contributors to send donations to a bogus address, said Scott Pribble, an Arvada Fire Department spokesman, in a media release.
“It has come to our attention that someone is using this opportunity to try to steal money from people,” Pribble said.
The early Sunday morning fire swept through two homes and caused the evacuation of 15 nearby residences, as well as injuries to the two firefighters.
A local resident has received a telephone solicitation for the fund with instructions to send the contribution to a mail store that is not the legitimate address for the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation.
The foundation does not solicit by telephone.
“We appreciate any donations that are given but citizens should understand that no one from the Arvada Fire Protection District or the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation will contact you directly to donate to this cause,” Pribble said.
Fire investigators said charcoal ashes left in a gas barbecue grill unattended overnight caused the fire.
Strong winds stirred up smoldering charcoal ashes, which ignited some boxes and dry leaves in the backyard. A five-gallon gasoline can and barbecue propane cylinder caused the fire to move quickly and spread to a neighbor’s residence.
People who would like to aid the injured firefighters can send contributions to:
Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation
ATTN: Arvada Fire Fighters
2342 Broadway
Denver, CO. 80205.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
