Abandoned-house fire kills 5 in Fresno
Five people were killed Sunday after flames consumed an abandoned home in Fresno, officials said.
The victims had sought shelter in the structure in an effort to stay warm, a relative said. A sixth person was injured and taken to an area hospital, according to the Fresno Fire Department.
Flames erupted at 6:44 a.m. in the 1400 block of North Archie Avenue, fire officials said.
When firefighters arrived at the home, they found flames blocking the home’s only exit and several people inside, department spokesman Agapito Martinez said. They were squatting in the vacant home, which was boarded up, he said.
More than an hour later, firefighters confirmed four people had died at the scene of the fire. A fifth person died later at an area hospital.
Martinez said neighbors reported hearing pounding coming from inside the home.
The victims were identified, but a cause of death has not been determined. They are William Morales, 56; Anthony Zavala, 37; Irene Hinojos, 36; Patricia Zambrano, 34; and Monique Amaral, 28, according to Tony Botti, a spokesman for the Fresno County coroner’s office.
Juan Castillo Jr., a relative of one of the victims, told the Fresno Bee that they had been staying at the abandoned home because they were trying to keep warm and to deal with other personal issues.
The victims apparently had their own homes, he told the Bee.
Fresno fire and police were investigating the cause of the deadly fire.
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