Man killed in Pasadena fire

This comes from reporter Robert Hong:

PASADENA – A man was found dead inside a suspected residential care home after it caught fire Friday, authorities said.
The blaze was reported shortly after 5:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Del Monte Street, Pasadena police Lt. Tom Delgado said.
The house was well-involved with flames when firefighters arrived, and smoke could be seen from several blocks away, Pasadena Fire Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
The body of a man was found inside the home, she said.
The deceased was identified as 80-year-old Azariah Stoney, according to relatives and residents of the care home. Several of the residents said Stoney enjoyed smoking cigars.
Frederick Wallace, who identified himself as a relative, said Stoney was a Jamaican immigrant and a professional painter.
“He is from the old-school,” Wallace said. “He went to work every day at 8:10. At 80 years old, he went to work every morning even if he didn’t have work to do.”
Brother Jaysee, a community activist who lives nearby, said he knew Stoney from being in the neighborhood.
“He was a good man – a hard-working man – who was doing the best he can,” Jaysee said. “It is unfortunate.”
Henry Butler, a resident of the home, said he saw smoke coming from Stoney’s room when the fire broke out.
Butler said he grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran inside, but there was too much smoke.
“I couldn’t see anything,” he said.
The fire was put out in 20 minutes, according to Derderian. Damages to the home were estimated to be about $300,000, she said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
A 61-year-old man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not wish to be hospitalized, Derderian said.
About 17 men lived in the residential care home and were displaced by the fire.
The Red Cross was sent to help find them a place to stay, Derderian said.

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