Fatal fire under scrutiny by police

Fort Collins Police Services is investigating a fatal fire from Tuesday morning at a residence in southwest Fort Collins.

At approximately 4:23 a.m. Tuesday, Fort Collins police received multiple calls of a fire in the 2000 block of Churchill Court in Fort Collins, according to a recent release from the department.

When officers and Poudre Fire Authority firefighters arrived on scene, they found a home fully engulfed in fire; because of the intensity of the fire and potential instability of the structure, firefighters worked on the blaze from outside the residence, the release added.

Fort Collins detectives arrived on scene and began investigating, working to confirm the location of individuals associated with the residence. However, detectives were unable to reach an adult female who lived there.

While officers were providing scene security at the home, they noticed an adult male nearby who, officers discovered, had warrants for his arrest as well as an active protection order prohibiting him from being near the residence. He was arrested and interviewed by detectives before being booked into the Larimer County Detention Center on the warrant as well as a new charge for violation of a protection order, according to the release.

On Wednesday, FCPS was assisted by a number of other agencies in the investigation, including Larimer County Search and Rescue’s human remains detection canine, as well as Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agents, certified fire investigators and an accelerant detection canine, according to the release.

When the residence was deemed safe to enter, investigators located what is believed to be a deceased adult’s remains inside the home. The release added the Larimer County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death and will identify the adult at a later time.