Three people died in an early-morning fire that leveled a home
near Roxborough State Park following a gathering to mourn the loss
of one of the victims’ mother.
Firefighters from the West Metro Fire District received the
report around 3:26 a.m., Aug. 3 at a home on Fairwood Street.
Responding firefighters could see a black column of smoke and an
orange glow as the fire burned nearly two miles away, said Michelle
French, community outreach division, West Metro Fire District.
Firefighters arrived at the home to find an orange fireball
where the house once stood.
In the initial 911 call, a person reported hearing a loud
popping sound and found the house on fire. The house was fully
engulfed when firefighters arrived.
Two people were able to escape the home, one with no major
injuries. The other person, who remains unidentified, suffered
severe burns to 70 percent of his body. The victim was taken to
Littleton Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to University
Hospital for treatment, French said.
Firefighters were informed the house was the site of a memorial
service for the deceased mother of one of the victims. As many as
18 people were gathered in the home the evening before the fire,
most of whom were between 18 and 24 years old, French said.
By 11 a.m. the morning of the investigation, the remains of two
of the deceased were discovered in the home; the third victim was
discovered about 30 minutes later, French said.
The homeowner, Joseph Shedron, was reportedly in Sturgis when
the fire occurred, French said. Shedron was the owner of a
motorcycle repair shop and investigators believe a number of
chemical agents were present in the garage of the home, said Cocha
Heyden, public information officer, Douglas County Sheriff’s
Office.
The home was completely destroyed in the fire, which
additionally damaged the houses on either side. Fire investigators
do not know the cause of the fire and cannot yet identify the
source of the reported “popping sounds.”
“It could have been something inside the house or just the fire
itself,” Heyden said.
Nearly 100 people attended a vigil for the deceased the evening
of the fire, presided by Rev. David Jarboe of the Gathering church
in Roxborough.
While the victims were not members of the church, Jarboe is
acquainted with the mother of one of those who died in the fire, he
said. The vigil was attended by friends of the victims, who
attended ThunderRidge High School, Jarboe said.
“It was extremely painful for a lot of those young people who
were good friends,” Jarboe said. “Some of them did motocross, some
knew each other from school. They spent a lot of time together, it
was a real difficult time.”
The Douglas County coroner’s office has not released the names
of the deceased or the cause of death. Investigators continue to
sift through the debris to determine the cause of the fire.
“They have just started digging [ Aug. 4]” French said. “There
is quite a bit of rubble to dig through.”
303-663-7162 | rmoore@ccnewspapers.com