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Grow House Destroyed By Fire, Family Left Homeless

DENVER (CBS4) - A family managed to escape their burning house Thursday morning, but is now left without a home.

The call was received at 12:30 a.m. for the marijuana grow house on North Eagle Street in the Montbello neighborhood. No one was injured in the fire, and all five adults and one child were outside the home when firefighters arrived.

It took 30 minutes to control the fire, which had covered the home. The flames were so hot that firefighters could not enter the home to fight the fire.

They continued working for hours to put out hot spots. The fire also burned nearby trees and the family's car, and heavy smoke could be seen for blocks.

home destroyed fire
(credit: CBS)

One family member, Jarrod Riggins, said it was confusing waking up to a burning home.

"I was very freaked out. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to grab. I mean obviously the family, the dog, those were the main priority. But all my stuff, I don't know," Riggins said.

Riggins said a smoke detector alerted the family of the fire.

"I'm just saying my thanks more than anything for my family being safe, my dogs; it could have definitely ended up a lot worse, so that's what I'm thankful for, for sure," he said.

The house is destroyed and just a few parts remain standing.

An arson team was on scene but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Although the home is a grow house, it is not clear if that was the cause. Riggins said the home had electrical issues. He said he grows marijuana but says it is all up to code and the plants were in an area that did not burn.

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