Two homeowners were burned in Thanksgiving fires as at least four blazes kept Colorado firefighters busy.

An elderly man was hospitalized with burns when his oven exploded about 10:45 a.m. in Calhan, northeast of Colorado Springs, said El Paso County sheriff's Lt. Lari Sevene.

The unidentified 78-year-old man was having trouble with a propane oven when it blew up, she said. Investigators suspect a possible malfunction.

The unidentified victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; his exact condition was not known.

A fierce midday blaze gutted a home in Centennial and sent its owner to the hospital with burns, said South Metro Fire Bureau Chief Bob Smith.

Albert Wallace, 49, was in fair condition at University Hospital, said spokeswoman Caitlin Jenney.

Wallace reported that the fire broke out in the basement of the two-story house at 8295 S. Krameria Way just before noon, Smith said.

Arriving firefighters saw flames in an attached garage and tried to enter the home, he said. But they discovered the house was fully aflame and heat forced them to retreat.

"It was a tremendous amount of fire," said Smith.

Denver firefighters swiftly snuffed an early morning fire in a Washington Park flower shop.

Reported at about 2:40 a.m., the fire apparently started in trash left in front of the Tended Thicket shop, 1034 S. Gaylord St., and spread into the building, Denver Fire Lt. Phil Champagne said. Crews halted the fire in 15 minutes.

The cause remains under investigation, Champagne said.

In Parker, firefighters extinguished a garage fire in 10 minutes on Surrey Place. Residents were home at the time, but they escaped injury.

Crews arriving about 11:30 a.m. found flames on the outside of the garage and stopped them from spreading into the garage and residence.