3 Police Officers Hospitalized After Saving Couple From Burning Home

FEDERAL HEIGHTS, Colo. (CBS4) - Three Federal Heights police officers were treated for smoke inhalation and released from the hospital Saturday after pulling an elderly woman from the back porch of a mobile home that was on fire.

The fire happened at the Holiday Hills mobile home park off West 92nd Avenue.

An elderly man 5 feet inside the back door was rescued by firefighters.

It was so dark I couldn't see a foot in front of my face," firefighter Dustin Vornholt said. "I stayed right behind my partner on his left foot and I swept my hand out and I was able to touch the victim's leg and that's how we found him."

Both the victims, identified as the Hessians, are in critical condition.

There was major damage to the home. Firefighters had the fire under control about 15 minutes after the call. Westminster and Thornton fire departments assisted in putting it out.

Federal Heights fire investigators determined the fire to have been caused by smoking cigarettes and oxygen use. Federal Heights says this fire was preventable, while a neighbor complained their poodle, Pierre ,paid the price.

"It's an awful terrible shame that a little dog had to lose its life for people's stupidity and i think it's a terrible thing," neighbor Viola Morse said.