A Friday morning fire at a Denver apartment complex shot flames 30 feet into the air and sent residents jumping out of windows as they hurried to escape the blaze, leaving two people hospitalized.
The fire broke out about 8:50 a.m. at the Green Leaf Oaks apartments at 425 S. Galena Way and quickly consumed four apartments, according to Capt. Greg Pixley of the Denver Fire Department.
An apartment manager said she saw three people jump from a second-story window to the ground to get away from the flames. One woman, who was burned, was carried out of the complex by residents who rushed to her aid along with first responders.
Robert Bilbrey, who lives in an apartment next to the ones that were charred black by the blaze, says he pulled a lady out who had burns on her arms.
“Flames were just coming through the hallway,” he said. “Smoke was pouring out of the windows.”
Bilbrey said he heard people yelling for help.
“It was pretty bad,” Bilbrey said. “It could have been a lot worse.”
Neal Hubler told The Denver Post he grabbed his infant son and sprinted out of an apartment near the fire, hearing screams as he fled.
Authorities did not immediately release the condition and identities of the victims, saying only that one was burned and the other suffered smoke inhalation.
A third person was evaluated at the scene and later allowed to leave.
One woman, whose apartment was consumed by the fire, cried and screamed as she watched firefighters use chain saws and axes to address hot spots.
She kneeled on the ground holding her head in her hands as smoke wafted from the charred remnants of her home, as a group arrived to comfort her.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, Pixley said.
Only one of the four units was not occupied when the blaze broke out.
Fire investigators scoured the scene after crews conducted mop-up work.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
