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Witnesses say scene outside house fire that killed Colorado child was heartbreaking

Witnesses describe fire that killed child in Thornton
Witnesses describe fire that killed child in Thornton 01:20

People in Thornton are speaking out about Friday's tragic fire that killed a child. It happened at a home on the 9100 block of Clarkson Street, and the child's identity has yet to be released.

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Nathan Hill

Two adults got out of the house but when first responders went in to save the child it was too late.

Witnesses including Armando Peniche say when they heard there was a child inside they tried to run to save them.

"I was knocking on the door and there was no answer at first. But then an older guy came out. I was, like, 'Did you know your house was on fire?' And he was like, 'No, I didn't know that,'" Peniche said. "At that point, another younger gentleman came out without a shirt. And he said, 'Yeah, there might have been another child in the house.' We got the older guy out. And I went in there to look for the child, but couldn't find anything."

In a nextdoor business, workers say when they ran outside to see the flames and the people who were affected, their hearts broke. 

"I don't know if it was the mother, but I saw a woman in the street react to finding out the child is no longer with us, she just... You could see the pain in her face and it was just really sad. People consoling her ... and it's just not something you normally see," " said Nathan Hill.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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