Colo. Firefighters Thrown Back by Backdraft

Aurora firefighters went up to the attic to search for the fire and were met by an explosion.

AURORA, Colo. -- Three Aurora firefighters were shaken up when a backdraft explosion blew them backwards while fighting a house fire.

The two-alarm fire was reported at 1415 Biscay Way at 6:38 p.m.

A neighbor told 7NEWS that the homeowner had a fire in the fireplace and then noticed smoke coming out of the nearby wall sockets and went outside quickly.

When firefighters arrived, they went to the attic to search for the fire, and there was an explosion.

"It was most likely a backdraft, which is an explosive event, that knocked the firefighters off their feet," said Allen Robnett, a spokesman for the Aurora Fire Department. "It's very rare and it's very dangerous."

The three firefighters were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. Two people who were in the house when the fire broke out left the house and were not injured.

The explosion caused extensive damage to the home lifted the roof on one side and blew off the garage door.

It took firefighters about 50 minutes to extinguish the fire.

Robnett said the fire started in the chimney, possibly because of a faulty flue.

"This is a lesson that people need to have their chimney's checked out professionally this time of year," said Robnett.

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