A 68-year-old man died when fire broke out before dawn Sunday morning in a home on the prairie east of Greeley, about 11 miles south of Briggsdale.
A woman escaped the house and called 911. The man stayed inside, battling flames in the living room with a fire extinguisher, Weld County authorities said in a posted summary of what happened. “The fire was contained to the living room at that time,” the authorities wrote.
But flames spread beyond the living room, licking through the house with the man still inside. “At about 4:10 am, responders were informed that the house was fully engulfed in flame. Responders had not yet arrived on scene and the male was still inside the house.”
Weld County investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, reportedly at the property. They didn’t release the man’s name or provide other details. However, a member of the family told . The family member said the woman’s name is Kris VandeBerg. Both are listed as owners of the miniature horse operation.
