PUEBLO — On October 5, a fire at a home in Pueblo's University Park neighborhood killed a four-year-old child, according to a close family friend.
News5 went to the home on Thursday and met with Mariah Moore, who was helping find any valuables that could be recovered from the ashes. Moore said the Magoon family lives at the home, and that she has known them for nearly a decade. "Being inside the home today, it was heartbreaking," said Moore.
Moore said Adam and Josephine Magoon are Pueblo born and raised, and graduated from Central High School. She said the two got married last year. "They would give you the shirt off their back, they would give you their last meal, they would be there on rainy days, sunshine days. They're an amazing family... They love Star Wars. So, we were able to save some of their Star Wars stuff. They actually marched down the aisle to the Star Wars theme music," Moore told News5.
Moore said Josephine has a daughter from a previous relationship named Kyanna, who is eight-years-old. She said Adam and Josephine have two children together, named Ezekiel and Amiya. According to Moore, all of the family members were in the home when the fire happened. "The neighbors had been banging on the door. The entire backside of the house had been on fire, and into the kitchen, and into the upstairs... She [Josephine] ran downstairs and grabbed Kyanna, and got her out. She went to go back in to try and help get the kids, and the fire was just everywhere, and smoke was everywhere," said Moore, who lives nearby and rushed to the Magoon's home when she heard about the fire.
Moore said Adam did everything he could to get the children out of the house. "Adam was able to grab Amiya, and get out the window, and jumped down to the trampoline," said Moore.
As of Thursday evening, Adam was in a medically induced coma in the intensive care unit (ICU). Moore said he has "a fractured back. He's got second and third-degree burns in his lungs. So, he's got some recovery to do."
The family was unable to get four-year-old Ezekiel out of the home, according to Moore. "He is an amazing child. An amazing boy. Everybody loved him. A bright personality. He loved everybody so much. His family loved him so much... He loved his video games, he loved his cars, he loved his dad, he loved his mom, he loved his siblings. He was just a bright, shining star," Moore said through tears.
Moore said she understands the unbelievable pain of losing a child. She lost one of her sons as well, and said the Magoons were there for her family through the tragedy. She said Josephine has asked "how did you do it? And I said, I just did it. You just put one foot in front of the other, and you love your children, and you love each other, and you hold onto every moment. Every memory. And all the new memories that you can make."
Moore said the two daughters were discharged from the hospital on Thursday.
She said Josephine was monitored for several hours following the fire, and is doing fairly well considering her thyroid cancer diagnosis.
This family needs all the love and support they can get.
Captain Woody Percival of the Pueblo Fire Department discussed details he could share about the fire with Colette Bordelon on Thursday. He said the first call on the fire came in around 10:47 in the evening on October 5. Firefighters who were on the scene called it one of the "hottest and most intense" fires they have ever fought.
According to the Pueblo Fire Department, the fire began on the deck outside of the house. Captain Percival said every room of the home except the basement level was on fire. Exactly 45 minutes after the initial call, it was not considered an active fire anymore, which Captain Percival said speaks to the intensity of the blaze.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Pueblo Fire Department's preliminary investigation into the fire concluded, according to Captain Percival. He said the cause of the fire is classified as undetermined, but likely accidental. If an insurance company is involved, they would conduct their own separate investigation. Captain Percival said typically, an insurance company's investigation does not produce very different results.
The house is estimated to be a total loss, Captain Percival said. He said the fire was contained to the home and three surrounding fences, and did not damage neighbor's structures.
Captain Percival said the Pueblo Fire Department was assisted in the preliminary investigation by Adams County Fire Department, West Metro Fire Rescue out of Denver, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and an investigator from the District Attorney's Office of the 3rd Judicial District.
