Westminster Arson: Resident Admits To Playing With Fireworks Inside Apartment
WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - The burned out shell of homes at Westminster's Skyview Apartments tells the story of a devastating fire early Sunday morning -- a fire authorities now confirm was arson.
"You just left families in a very tough situation now," said displaced resident Carlos Perez.
The fire caused $600,000 worth of damage to the building, melted cars and displaced six homes.
"I know it was set off by arson; something that could have been prevented. It does get some frustration going," Perez said.
The fire started in a second floor apartment. Perez says his neighbor admitted to playing with fireworks inside the home and the flames spread quickly.
"Everybody was woken up at 3 a.m. He was screaming, 'Here, help me out. I've got a fire going.' He explained to neighbors that he was playing with fireworks," Perez said.
Neighbors say police arrested the apartment owner, a fact the fire department confirmed. It's not clear if he's being charged with arson and authorities currently will only say they are not looking for a suspect.
"That person may or may not be involved in the arson, that's what we're looking into," said Diana Wilson with the Westminster Fire Department.
"But you're not looking for anyone else right now?" asked CBS4's Tom Mustin.
"No," replied Wilson.
As authorities piece together a costly arson fire, Perez says the damage has already been done.
"We've got multiple families trying to rebuild and start over again. It's just not right," he said.
Tom Mustin is CBS4's Weekend Anchor. He has been with CBS4 since 2002, and is always looking for great story ideas. Follow Tom on Twitter @TomCBS4.