Fireworks Suspected In Apartment Fire In Capitol Hill Neighborhood

DENVER (CBS4)- Fire investigators are trying to determine whether fireworks ignited a fire in a dumpster that spread to an apartment building in downtown Denver.

The fire started at approximately 3:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of Ogden Street. It started in a dumpster and spread to a nearby apartment building.

Some residents were forced to evacuate. The fire melted a power meter which knocked out power in the building for several hours.

Everyone escaped the flames safely.

"I woke up at about 3:30 to someone shouting fire," said Casey Rizzo.

Dan and Casey Rizzo told CBS4 they woke up to the sound of neighbors screaming that there was a fire. Then when they left the building they were surrounded by heavy smoke.

"It was kind of scary. Even when we were outside you could see through the glass windows and all you could see was that smoke," Casey Rizzo said.

Fire investigators say early Independence Day celebrations are one thing they're looking into.

"We had several calls of firework-related incidents in the area," said Denver Fire spokesman Mark Watson.

They also found remnants of fireworks just feet away from where the fire started.

"When you get the calls and you get the fires that occur then you definitely want to take a closer look to see if fireworks were the ignition source," said Watson.

Adding to the investigation there was not only one fire, but two additional fires less than a block away in the same time frame.

Watson said they haven't connected the fires but are investigating whether someone may have set the fires on purpose.

"We don't know if it's fire related or if we've got vandals or something in the area," said Watson.

Residents say this isn't the first time they've had a fire like this. One neighbor said a bush was set on fire last week and a few months ago the dumpster next door also caught fire.