Denver bar set on fire to mask slaying of 5 found dead inside, police say

(CBS/AP) DENVER - Denver police believe that a bar was set on fire to hide the slayings of four women and one man who were found inside.

The fire at Fero's Bar & Grill was reported around closing time at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Police Chief Robert White said.

"The business has obviously been set on fire, an arson, I'm guessing, to mask the homicide that occurred inside," said police Commander Ronald Saunier.

"There is just trauma, enough information to believe that we have a homicide that occurred here. They didn't perish in the fire."

White wouldn't elaborate when asked about how the victims might have died, and he said so far it's not clear how much the bar was damaged, CBS Denver reports. So far none of the victims' names have been released, and there is no word on a suspect description.

The bar is located in a strip mall about five miles south of downtown Denver on one of the city's busiest streets, Colorado Boulevard. It serves bar food and a few Asian dishes. Other businesses in the strip mall include a check cashing store.