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Coworkers Remember Larger-Than-Life Man Who Died In Denver House Fire

DENVER (CBS4) – Daniel Straley showed up to the scene of a crime with tears in his eyes. He found a community that felt the same way about Djibril Diol as he did.

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(credit: CBS)

"He was a wonderful man," Straley said. "He was a peaceful man as friendly as could be. I couldn't see how anyone would want to cause him harm."

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(credit: CBS)

Djibril died in an arson fire Wednesday morning with four other members of his family. An online fundraiser says Djibril's wife, daughter, sister and niece were also killed. Three adults jumped out of the house and are expected to be OK.

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Daniel Straley (credit: CBS)

"I know his family had recently come over (from Senegal). They got here right before everything got crazy with the corona(virus) thing. We were all happy for him for that. But, they'd only been here a couple months and they're dead. I don't understand it," Straley said. "There's nothing anybody can say or do to make it make sense."

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(credit: Diol family)

Djibiril was an engineer for Kiewit working on the Central I-70 project. Straley said hundreds of coworkers were mourning the loss of a larger-than-life personality on the job site.

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"All of us that worked with him hold him in such high regard. His life just can't be forgotten," he said.

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