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Fire that hurt kids now a criminal investigation

Posted at 1:44 PM, Sep 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-30 15:44:26-04

Denver Police are conducting a criminal investigation into a fire that left two children in critical condition on Tuesday.

The children, whose ages have not been released, were found hiding inside a burning home at 355 S. Eliot Street. At last report, the two children were in critical condition at Denver Health Medical Center.

The children were not found during a primary search of the home, but Denver Fire Department policy is to conduct two searches. Firefighters found the children during their secondary search. 

When 7NEWS asked if any adults were home when the fire broke out, Denver Police spokeswoman Christine Downs said, "That's part of the investigation."
 
"I know that there was one adult transported with the children, but I'm not sure where that adult was when the fire broke out," Denver Fire spokeswoman Melissa Taylor said.

Witnesses told 7NEWS reporter Mark Boyle that the kids' mother came home after fire crews got there and that she was overcome with emotion and collapsed in the street. Witnesses said she was the adult taken to the hospital.
 
The landlord told Boyle that he's warned the parents -- who both work -- that they have to stop leaving the two kids alone. The landlord also told Boyle there are two other children in the family, but they attend school.

Denver Fire hasn’t determined the cause of the fire.

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