ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. -- Forty people who were initially forced out of their homes after a fire broke out Wednesday afternoon at their apartment complex can now return home.

The fire damage is confined to two units on the second floor of the Mountain Crest Apartments, located at Nueva Vista Drive and North Coronado Parkway in unincorporated Adams County.

Initially, firefighters thought that the smoke damaged 16 other apartments on the second and third floors of that 24-unit building, said Mike Ramos, Battalion Chief with the North Washington Fire District.

However, after firefighters went through the building, the smoke damage to the other buildings was not as bad as first thought, Ramos said.

Those residents have now been allowed to return to their apartment Wednesday night.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire started in the kitchen on the second floor apartment, Ramos said.

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