Firefighters look for cause in early morning Thanksgiving fire

VIEW SLIDESHOW
DUMONT - Firefighters are trying to find out whether a turkey smoker started a fire that destroyed two homes, damaged another and seriously burned one man in Clear Creek County, west of Idaho Springs.

The fire started before 5 a.m. Thursday on County Road 310 in Dumont. The town is south of Interstate 70 and about ten minutes west of Idaho Springs.

Flames from the fire could be seen at least ten blocks away and it was so hot that it ignited propane tanks at the homes causing a series of explosions.

Fire crews from the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office, Evergreen Fire Department and Central City Fire Department were able to extinguish the fire just before 8 a.m. Thursday.

American Red Cross crews on the scene said two of the homes were completely destroyed by the fire and the third was seriously damaged. The blaze also claimed the tools belonging to a construction worker.

According to University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Richard Jeske was airlifted and placed in the hospital's burn unit. Thursday afternoon he was in critical condition. Witnesses say he was found fully engulfed with flames after the fire broke out early Thursday morning. Neighbors worked quickly to douse the flames, but he suffered severe burns.

"My neighbor Richard was on the ground rolling in the snow and my sister-in-law was trying to help him," said Becky Zulka, who lives nearby.

She says Jeske's wife was still inside and had to be pulled to safety.

"My brother pulled his wife out the window," Zulka said.

Authorities say a total of eight people from three families have been displaced by the fire.

"As long as all the people are okay, then we have a lot to be thankful for," Zulka said.

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire, but say they are looking at whether a turkey smoker may have been to blame.

Donations to help the Jeske and Zulka families are being accepted at the Mutal of Omaha Bank in Idaho Springs. The bank is located at 1744 Miner Street. It can be reached at (303) 567-2696.