Overnight fires force families from Colorado Springs homes

A pair of overnight fires in Colorado Springs has displaced multiple families on the East side of the city.

The first fire began around 10:45 Sunday night, from the deck of a fourplex residence located on Hearthwood Ln. That’s near Academy and Maizeland.

“It was a lot of smoke, a big fire,” said Mayrelis Rubio, a neighbor living next door.

A woman called for help, after she says she woke up to the smell of smoke. She was able to climb through a window and was saved by firefighters. Two other people who were in the house at the time suffered from smoke inhalation. A cat died in the fire, and the family’s dog is still missing at this hour.

“We didn’t know if they were okay,” said Rubio.

The second fire broke out just after one Monday morning, at a home near the corner of Sunset Rd. and E. Cache La Poudre St. That’s near the Olympic Training Center. Crews tell KRDO Newschannel 13 that nine people were inside the home at the time, but everyone got out safely. One person had to be taken to the hospital, but only as a precaution.

“It was frightening, there was a lot of stuff out there, they had it roped off,” said Lorrie Gibson, a neighbor living nearby. “It’s really sad.”

The cause of both fires remain under investigation. Firefighters say working smoke detectors inside both homes likely saved lives. The Red Cross is assisting everyone who was displaced.