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2 Injured, 1 Missing In Large Office Building Fire In Arvada

By Howard Nathan

ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Conditions are unknown for two people who went to the hospital after being in a fire Saturday. One of them is a firefighter. Another person has been confirmed as missing.

On Sunday the Arvada Fire Department was hoping a crane will arrive. The crane will help remove debris from the fire that went through the roof for a three-story office building off 64th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.

Arvada Fire
(credit: CBS)

Arvada Fire worked into the night trying to figure out what took up so much of their time during the day. Scenic Heights Professional Building No. 1 burned for five hours before Arvada Fire declared it was out; and even then the smoke kept on pouring into the air.

"With a fire like this that's expected we're going to have smoke for a while … there's still some hot spots that are inside that we're unable to get to", said Amber Jones with Arvada Fire.

On Sunday the fire department confirmed that an employee of Creative Treatment Options, a business located in the building, is missing but the building is too unstable to enter for a search. They were searching other areas with a dog.

Creative Treatment Options' Facebook page identified that missing person as John Rutter.

Arvada Fire
(credit: CBS)

The smoke and fire attracted neighbors soon after it began before 10 a.m.

"Fire shooting out at least six feet into the air from the top", said witness Alice Leitch of Arvada.

The fire had the advantage of a head start. A deputy Arvada Fire marshal told CBS4's Howard Nathan the building was built in the 1970s and therefore it did not have a sprinkler system.

Arvada Fire At Creative Treatment Options
(credit: CBS)

"So we confirmed to the best of our ability that the building was evacuated and moved into a defensive strategy," said Deanna Harrington, Deputy Fire Marshal.

There was no need to rush in when it's believed lives are not at stake.

Arvada Fire
(credit: CBS)

Meanwhile shake shingles on the roof acted like kindling, also contributing to the major fire.

"We haven't had one like this in quite some time," said jones.

Arvada Fire
The building on Sunday (credit: CBS)

Howard Nathan is a veteran newsman. Decades later, he still enjoys writing a clever sentence, asking the tough question and talking to people in Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Howard and read his bio.

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