John Scarffe, Pinecliffe. A house in Pinecliffe burned down on October 30, 2019, and a deceased person was found inside. According to a Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office news release, at about 3:30 a.m. on October 30, 2019, the Gilpin County Dispatch Center received a call from a resident of Pinecliffe stating that a neighbor’s house was on fire.

Timberline Fire Department was immediately dispatched. It was -9F when firefighters arrived at the station. They then arrived at 120 Woodbine Drive in Pinecliffe, and found the house fully engulfed in flames. Several other agencies arrived to assist including Central City Fire, Coal Creek Fire, Golden Gate Fire, Nederland Fire and the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Office, according to the release.

A neighbor advised that the home may have been occupied, but due to the extremely hazardous conditions, they could not enter. There was ice everywhere. Water was freezing as fast as it hit the structure. The pumps, hoses and gloves on the firefighters hands froze. The hill was so steep, hard lines were set up to get the firefighters and water up to the house. 

When personnel were able to make entry, a deceased person was located. No positive identification of the deceased has been made.

The fire agencies contained and extinguished the fire, but since the home was fully engulfed upon arrival, it was a complete loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Back at the station, firefighters spent hours defrosting the equipment and getting it ready for the next call.

(Originally published in the November 7, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)