Newly-Sold House Goes Up In Flames

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (CBS4) - A nearly $1 million home in Centennial was engulfed in flames early Thursday morning and was destroyed. The new homeowner took possession of the home just a few days ago.

Littleton and West Metro fire departments responded at 4:32 a.m. to find the home on East Nichols Drive up in flames.

"My wife went to the bedroom window, actually the bathroom window, and looked outside and saw the fire. We immediately called 911, got the kids and the dog and got outside," said neighbor David Salyers.

The homeowner told CBS4 she closed on the house earlier this week. Nobody was inside when the fire started and there are no injuries.

"The flames are coming out of the back of the house and the wind was going toward our house so we were just, our concern was is it going to spread to the trees and other houses? So we were just sitting on edge waiting for that," said Salyers.

There is nothing to indicate that the fire is suspicious, and the fire chief said it was emanating from a corner of the basement.

"Fully involved when we got here it was already through the roof and into the attic," said the Littleton battalion chief at the scene.

Both the former homeowner and the current homeowner were at the home. The former homeowner told a neighbor that he still had some moving boxes inside and the movers put those boxes in front of the fireplace in the basement. What caused the fire remains under investigation.

Engineering crews are concerned about the stability of the structure since the fire caused so much damage. Part of the first floor has collapsed into the basement.