COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A Colorado Springs family was facing a cold night Wednesday after their heater went out. But after FOX21 News staff started making calls Wednesday afternoon, the family got the help they needed.
FOX21 News aired stories on the Dorado family before, as Broadmoor Community Church has been helping them make critical improvements to their home.
Wednesday morning a service man with a local heating company discovered the home's furnace was pouring carbon monoxide into the home. The furnace was immediately shut down and it looked like the Dorado family would be spending weeks inside an unheated home.
A number of community organizations then leapt into action. Now the family has space heaters and soon they will have a brand new furnace.
"It’s got some problems -- I wouldn’t recommend repairing them. I think it's best to replace [the furnace]," said Wright Total Indoor Comfort service manager Eric Kaiser.
For the safety of the seven people living in the home -- which includes four children and a pregnant woman -- the furnace was shut off.
"Our first priority is always to protect kids and we want to make sure these kids are warm and taken care of," said El Paso County Human Services spokesperson Jennifer Brown.
Heating experts told FOX21 News the furnace is at least 30 years old and well past its expected service life.
"One of our workers was actually sitting in the office with someone from Goodwill Industries and said, 'Hey, this is what we just heard about' and Goodwill said 'I think there is something we can do,' ran out to Wal-Mart, bought the five space heaters and brought them over here," Brown said.
The space heaters will help keep the family warm for now and Wright Total Indoor Comfort will make sure the family stays warm.
"We’re going to put in a new furnace for them with a new thermostat,” said Kaiser.
Wright will do the work free of charge and put a new more energy-efficient furnace that will help the family keep a lid on heating costs.
“The community has supported us and we really want to give back and this is what we do -- this is our specialty," Kaiser said.
The family says they are overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from the community.
"I think it's a miracle. I didn’t think were going to work so fast and get done so quick and it's just really nice of them to help so the house won't be cold and the kids won't freeze," said Ruthie Dorado.
That new furnace could be put in as early as tomorrow. FOX21 News will follow the family and let the public know what happens.
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