Child dies after apartment building fire in suburban Denver

Officials in suburban Denver say a fire swept through a three-story apartment building before dawn and that a child died after firefighters rescued people unable to escape on their own

Fatal Apartment Fire (Aurora Fire Rescue)

Fire swept through a three-story apartment building in suburban Denver before dawn Monday and a child died after firefighters rescued people unable to escape on their own, officials said.

Fire officials said that people couldn’t get down the stairs of the building during the fire in the city of Aurora and photos showed the outdoor staircases burned in the blaze.

Firefighters using ladders rescued about nine people from the building, said Lt. Dan Pollet, a spokesperson for Aurora Fire Rescue.

The child died in a hospital and three other people were taken to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries, Aurora Fire Rescue said in a series of tweets.

Authorities said 31 people were displaced by the fire. The cause is under investigation.