January 14th, 2016
DENVER — Five adults and one infant escaped a fire that destroyed a home in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood early Thursday morning, the Denver Fire Department said. The six were able to get out of the house before firefighters arrived at Eagle Street and East Elk Place. Resident Jarrod Riggins was transported to a hospital for minor smoke inhalation and the Red Cross said it is assisting with those who escaped. Bradyn Peters, a friend of one of the people who escaped, said there was a legal grow operation in the home, but the residents had complained about electrical problems to the landlord for some time. “They had complained to the landlord about wires in the sun room and addition,” Peters said. “It went unattended and we have this.” Riggins said his grow operation was legal and up to code, and it was not the cause of the fire. “Absolutely not,” he said. “There was no excess lighting and there weren’t a lot of plants. All of the plants were downstairs where none of the damage took place. All of the fire damage was upstairs.”