Man and woman killed in Monrovia mobile home fire


MONROVIA >> A man and woman died following a fire at their Monrovia mobile home early Saturday morning, authorities said.
The fatal fire was first reported about 1:15 a.m. by a neighbor who went outside for a cigarette at the mobile home park at 1020 S. Mountain Avenue and noticed smoke emanating from a neighbors unit, Monrovia police and fire officials said. He called 911.
Believing his neighbors were still inside their home, the man tried to make his way into the burning mobile home but was pushed back by the heat and smoke, Monrovia Fire Department Capt. Michael Bailey said.
A Monrovia police officer who happened to be nearby arrived at the scene within a minute, Monrovia police Lt. Rob Wilken said. Firefighters soon followed.
After arriving on scene, “I was told by one of the Monrovia police officers that it was suspected the two people who lived there were still inside the structure,” Bailey said. “We made an effort in order to try and get them out.”
Found the male victim still alive inside the smoke-filled mobile home, officials said. He was treated and rushed to the Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The female victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
The identities of the victims were not available pending positive identification and notification of their family members, officials said. They were described as a man and a woman in their 60s or 70s.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation, but it was believed to be accidental in nature, Bailey said. Possible ignition sources being investigated included an electrical problem or a discarded cigarette.
Firefighters found no smoke detectors inside the mobile home, which was densely packed with belongings, Bailey said.
Saturday mornings fire was the second deadly fire reported in Monrovia over the past two weeks, and the third reported in the area.
A Monrovia man died following a 2 a.m. fire at his home in the 100 block of N. Canyon Boulevard, Monrovia fire Capt. Chris Huston said.
Firefighters responding to reports of a fire at a two-story home which had been converted into a triplex encountered a man outside the home suffering from burns, but trying to get back into the flaming structure, Huston said. It was determined the man was trying to rescue his pet cats from the home.
Paramedics took the injured man, who was in his mid-50s, to hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
While extinguishing the fire, firefighters saved the two cats, as well as a turtle, from the home, Huston said.
Investigators determined the Canyon Boulevard fire was ignited by combustible materials left too close to an electric space heater, he said.
And in Pasadena, an elderly woman died in an 8 a.m. fire at her house in the 3000 block of Redwood Drive, according to Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.
A neighbor suffered burns in an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the woman prior to the arrival of firefighters, she said.
A specific cause was not determined, but fire investigators noted numerous possible causes, including overloaded wiring, excessive use of power strips, an electric heater, an electric blanket, candles and smoking materials.

Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr Linkedin Email