Arson possible in fatal fire

Arson has not been ruled out in a blaze that killed one woman and leveled eight townhouses in north Colorado Springs on Saturday.

The victim, whose name has not been released, died of smoke inhalation and burns in the explosive early morning fire at The Residence Townhomes at 202 W. Rockrimmon Blvd., said Colorado Springs police spokesman Lt. Mark Stevens. A search of the eight-unit complex was completed Saturday, and while no other bodies were found, one person still remains unaccounted for, he added.

"We're still looking into the possibility of arson," Stevens said.

Stevens said police have "suspicions" about the woman's identity, but her name will not be released until the El Paso County Coroner's Office makes a positive identification. Whether her death was a result of homicide or an accident depends on the outcome of the fire investigation, he said.

Investigators are proceeding as if conducting a homicide investigation to ensure that potential evidence is preserved should it turn out the woman was slain, police said.

Police anticipate they could have answers about the cause of the blaze and the manner of the woman's death as early as Friday.