Boulder Fire-Rescue and other organizations have used several investigative techniques to determine a cause.
BOULDER, Colo. – After a nearly four-month investigation, Boulder Fire-Rescue (BFR) published the cause of the Whittier apartment fire which occurred on October 19, affecting 81 units in six buildings.
BFR said the cause of the fire had been declared “undetermined”.
In a press release, BFR said: “From the area of origin, the fire spread rapidly outside the structure. The exterior was a typical timber frame with exterior timber sheathing and other combustible building components. in the attics of the buildings, the occupied space of the six buildings, as well as the garage, were fully protected against fire. The investigation determined that the fire sprinkler system for the interior apartment buildings and the garage was working and functioning properly. Additionally, there were no known fires or building code violations that led to the fire.”
BFR with the help of Boulder Police Department and the Denver Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), sought to determine the cause of the fire. They used K-9 accelerator detection dogs, benchmarking of possible ignition sources, and extensive lab testing to find a cause. After reviewing all reports and findings, the BFR said no flammable liquids were found or any other sources of ignition found.
From these findings, BFR determined that the cause of the fire had been declared undetermined with no evidence of intentional fire.
>> WATCH: Dennis Arnold records as his apartment complex burns down
A couple who lost everything in the fire, Katie Burckel and Dennis Arnold, said the hows and whys don’t change the way they move forward.
“The only good part of this total loss is that we’re getting to, all we’re replacing are things we need now, there’s no excess, there’s no extra,” said said Arnold.
Burckel didn’t have renter’s insurance but Arnold did. Unfortunately, his policy didn’t include many of the more expensive things he had accumulated over the years.
“We’re 35-40% down the roster and we’ve already passed what I had coverage for,” he said. So we lost a lot of things that will just have to come out of our pockets to be replaced.”
The couple moved to Louisville and found themselves threatened by fire again a few months later.
“It’s emotionally difficult, to deal with the thought, the possibility of going through the same thing again,” Arnold said.
But after they were evacuated, they still had an apartment to return to and advice for Marshall Fire survivors who were losing everything.
“I think it’s just about enjoying things while you have them and then finding a way to make peace with it,” Burckel said.
A friend launched a GoFundMe for Burckel and Arnold, and even several months later they are still working to replace things.
The 2301 Pearl St. apartment moved people in 81 units. Two people sought treatment for minor injuries, BFR said no one else was injured.
The fire department said the apartment complex is a mix of owner-occupied units, long- and short-term rentals and vacant units. Ten CU Boulder students were affected by the fire.
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