2 Firefighters Injured In Aurora Apartment Fire

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Two firefighters were rushed to the hospital after roof materials collapsed on them while fighting an apartment fire early Sunday morning.

One firefighter has been released, but the other will stay at the hospital for observation.

The fire broke out at about 8:30 a.m. at the Winridge apartments near the intersection of Illif and Peoria in Aurora.

Fire victim Eric Farrar said he considers himself lucky after the fire ripped through the sunroom of his apartment. He was home alone with his cat, Aspen, at the time. His smoke detector was working but he slept through it.

"I was sleeping hard and cold because, yeah, it was a long night last night. I was up till 6 to 7 a.m. I had just recently went to bed before this happened," Farrar said.

Raymond Garza's banging on the door was the only thing that woke Farrar and his neighbors up.

"I'm grateful that somebody is alive today and that's it. I think anybody in my position would do the same thing," Garza said.

Investigators told CBS4 that the cause of the fire was reckless use of smoking materials. Farrar said he believes that either he or his roommate left a cigarette burning in the sunroom overnight.

The 20-year-old Farrar was covered in soot, ash and cat fur as he stood alone after the fire with nothing but his pet, a blanket and the clothes on his back. But he's forever grateful to the man that saved his life.

"I just consider myself that I was at the right time," Garza said.

Managers at the Winridge apartment complex have offered Farrar a guest suite to stay in until he can get back on his feet.