Trinidad Porch Fire Kills One, Sends Three to Denver Hospital

A porch fire at 630 Camillus Street killed one person and sent three others to UCHealth Anschutz Medical Campus in Denver by Flight for Life helicopter Saturday evening, after flames spread rapidly from the porch to at least two additional structures on the same property.

Trinidad Fire Department crews, backed by neighboring volunteer departments and county emergency resources, received the first call just after 7:00 p.m. on April 5. First responders pulled three survivors from the burning structures, but the severity of their smoke inhalation and burn injuries required aeromedical evacuation. The decision to task Flight for Life rather than ground transport to Mt. San Rafael Hospital signals the degree of trauma the scene presented that night.

Las Animas County Sheriff Derek Navarette confirmed the flight evacuations and the scope of the injuries in early public statements. One of the three airlifted victims later died. At least two others remained hospitalized as of Sunday morning.

The fire's origin is under investigation. Investigators are expected to gather witness accounts, conduct building inspections, and review any available surveillance footage to determine what ignited the porch blaze and how it reached adjacent structures on the parcel.

The Las Animas County Sheriff's Office and Trinidad Fire Department will release victim identities and condition updates as next-of-kin notifications are completed. Official updates on any displaced residents and support resources will be posted through county and city channels.