911 Calls From Lower North Fork Fire Victims Released
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The Colorado State Forest Service resumed control of the Lower North Fork fire from the Type 1 incident team Tuesday morning.
The call was made as snow helped bring the fire to 100 percent containment. Two investigations are being launched into the controlled burn which started the fire.
The fire destroyed 27 homes and three people died.
Jefferson County has released some 911 calls from residents, including one from Sam Lucas, who died in the fire along with his wife.
Operator: JeffCo 911
Sam Lucas: Yes, this is Sam Lucas. We live up in the foothills and we just got home and it looks there's a fire right at the foot of Cathedral Spires. There was ...
Operator: That is ... that is a controlled burn. The forest service is out there on scene with that.
Same Lucas: You know we've got 79 mile an hour winds up here and they got a controlled burn?
Operator: yes
Sam Lucas: Oh wonderful. Thank You.
The following is another call for a resident in the burn area who may have gotten trapped:
Operator: You say your house is on fire?
Caller: It probably is. I'm in the pickup in the driveway, I'm probably in a safe point because ...
Operator: No, No. Sir, I need you to get out.
Caller: Ah ... I can't ... there's fire behind me. I'm on the asphalt; the trees are all burned around me. I'm probably in a safe spot. Ah …
Operator: So you can't get out.
Caller: Ah probably the fire between me and Krineholt Crinchill (sp?) is crossing the road and I can't get out.
The following is another call for a resident in the burn area:
Caller: Yeah is there a controlled burn on Foxton Road?
Operator: It was controlled about a week ago sir, it's no longer controlled. It's about a 10 acre fire at this point.
Caller: Okay I wondered because I'm looking right down at it.
Operator: We do have crews on scene and they are working it.
The Colorado State Forest Service has accepted responsibility for the fire which charred six square miles.
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