DENVER — A 7-year-old child was taken to a hospital with multiple injuries after she fell six stories from an open window at a hotel-turned-shelter on E. Hampden Avenue in Denver, fire department officials said Monday.
Around 2:15 p.m., the Denver Fire Department (DFD) announced via social media it was responding to the scene, adding the child was awake and responsive but had multiple injuries. She had fallen and landed on a "second-story structure" that was next to the building and suffered several fractures and lacerations. By 2:33 p.m., fire officials said the child was brought to Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is expected to be released from the hospital "soon," as of Monday at 6:30 p.m., according to The Salvation Army.
The incident happened at the Tamarac shelter, which is managed by The Salvation Army and houses up to 204 families. The City and County of Denver is responsible for the building's maintenance and security.
"The window was a previously secured sliding glass door, fastened shut with screws and epoxy and clearly labeled do not open in English and Spanish," The Salvation Army said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the safety features were tampered with — contrary to The Salvation Army’s regulations and the signed guest agreement — and the door was opened."
Staff check window safeguards each week, The Salvation Army said.
"The Salvation Army has consistently raised concerns about the safety of the windows during regular meetings with city staff and leadership," the organization added. "While we are grateful that action is now being taken, we urge the city to move swiftly and decisively to ensure these long-standing safety concerns are fully addressed to protect the families we serve."
The fall happened at 7525 E. Hampden Ave., the site of the former Embassy Suites hotel in southeast Denver. The hotel was purchased by the city in late 2023 so it could be converted into a shelter as part of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s housing initiative to shelter unhoused families.
Currently known as The Tamarac Family Shelter, the site has 205 units for families with minor children and is currently managed by The Salvation Army, according to the city’s website.
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