Tenant Arrested in Fatal Blaze at Apartments

GLENDALE, Colo. —  Police arrested a tenant suspected of starting a fire that killed at least one person and destroyed a 58-unit apartment complex in this Denver suburb, Fire Chief Arthur Johansen said Monday.

Johansen said one woman was found dead after the blaze early Sunday, but the building was too unstable to search for other possible victims.

“My feeling is, until we get every piece of debris out of there, I’m not going to say there are no [other] bodies,” Johansen said.

Red Cross officials said they had heard from residents of all 54 occupied units.

“We feel very confident that everyone has been accounted for,” Red Cross spokeswoman Sarah Spaulding said.

Spaulding said more than 40 families were left homeless by the fire.

Blake Fieber, 22, was being held without bond on suspicion of first-degree murder, punishable by life in prison or death. District attorney’s spokesman Drew Grant said formal charges were expected to be filed next week, and could include other counts.

Police Lt. Mike Gross would not say what led to Fieber’s arrest, but officials said Fieber lived in the first-floor unit where officials believe the fire started.

Some residents had to be rescued from balconies after the fire started in freezing weather.