Man arrested in connection to garage fire at condemned Lakewood house
DENVER (KDVR) — Weeks of concerns surrounding a home in Lakewood that has been condemned have culminated in police arresting a 52-year-old man for charges of arson and drug possession.
The Lakewood Police Department said it arrested Pete David Caranza, of Lakewood, on suspicion of fourth-degree arson and possession of a controlled substance, in connection with a May 10 fire that was reported at approximately 10:22 p.m. The department said the garage on the property was 'engulfed in flames,' and that 'several' people were evacuated from the building, but no serious injuries were reported.
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The house where the fire occurred is located in the 8000 block of West 10th Avenue. The home had two fires reported there within three days, and neighbors and students have raised complaints about the property. One neighbor said there were two explosions at the house, including one large enough that it shook her house.
'We're not born yesterday, we know what's going on there — and they are certainly not at Bible study,' she told FOX31's Hanna Powers earlier this month. Police said Thursday that there is no evidence of a drug lab at the property.
Students at JeffCo Open School, which is directly across the street from the property, also said they've seen open drug use and unsafe activities at the property. Photos obtained by FOX31 show drug paraphernalia, smoke damage, and ongoing activity around the structure.
On Friday, May 16, residents of the condemned property were evicted. The home has reportedly been under investigation since October 2024.
Lakewood police said Thursday that anyone trespassing on the property will be arrested because the building has been posted as dangerous and uninhabitable. The agency also said it would issue a final notice to the property owner to take responsibility for securing and cleaning up the property, or the owner will face additional consequences.
According to Jefferson County property records, Caranza is not the owner of the property.
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