67-year-old man dead, Placerville home destroyed in fire

PLACERVILLE, CA - A man is dead after an early morning fire Tuesday.

A person called 911 around 5 a.m. to report that a neighbor's home on the 2800 block of Bryan Way was on fire, El Dorado County Fire Batallion Chief Mike Potts said.

When crews got to the scene, the home was engulfed in flames. A woman and her son were able to get out of the home safely, but her husband, the son's stepfather, was still trapped inside.

Potts said firefighters entered the home, but had to get out for their own safety when the roof collapsed.

About an hour later, when it was safe for crews to enter the home, they found the body of a 67-year-old man inside, Potts said.

The fire destroyed the home.

The Red Cross is helping the family with clothes and food vouchers; the mom and son will most likely stay with family or friends.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

News10/KXTV  http://www.news10.net/news/article/222514/2/1-dead-Placerville-home-destroyed-in-fire

 Via El Dorado County Fire: Christmas morning fire claims one life

El Dorado County Fire District responded to a residential structure fire at 2831 Bryan Way in Placerville just after 5 AM on Christmas morning. E25 and M25 from the Placerville station arrived first and reported the residence was fully involved with fire. The firefighters were immediately notified by bystanders that there was one person still inside. The crews went into the burning building with a hose line looking for the missing person. Crews had to pull out before finding the victim because the roof started collapsing onto the firefighters. No firefighters were injured. The victim, a 67 year old male, was later found deceased in a bedroom. The victim's identity is not available pending positive identification. The victim's wife and her teenage son were able to get out of the residence by crawling on their hands and knees. Once outside the son went to a neighbor’s house to report the fire. The mother and son were uninjured. The cause of the fire is undetermined. Investigators were able to determine the fire started in the living room. Two possible causes of the fire could not be ruled out for starting the fire. One possible cause was electrical and the second was unattended burning candles. The investigation also revealed the home did not have any working smoke alarms. The family was alerted to the fire by one of their cats "howling". By then the home was full of thick choking smoke and the fire was beginning to grow rapidly. If there had been working smoke alarms in the home there would have been a potential for a different outcome. Smoke alarms will alert occupants in a home when the smoke is much lighter, allowing them to escape via their escape plan and rendezvous at their meeting place, then call 911. Every home needs to have a working alarm; one in every sleeping room and the hallway outside every sleeping room as well.

It is also important to point out the candles should never be left unattended, even for the shortest amount of time. The National Fire Protection Association reported between 2006 and 2010 that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 11,640 home structure fires that were started by candles. These fires caused 126 deaths, 953 injuries and $438 million in direct property damage. Candles caused 3% of reported home fires, 5% of home fire deaths, 7% of home fire injuries, and 6% of the direct property damage from home fires in 2010.
Facts and figures
During the five-year period of 2006-2010:

• Roughly one-third (35%) of home candle fires started in bedrooms. These fires caused 42% of the associated deaths and 45% of the associated injuries.
• On average, 32 home candle fires were reported per day.
• Falling asleep was a factor in 11% percent of the home candle fires and 43% of the associated deaths.
• More than half (56%) of home candle fires occurred when some form of combustible material was left or came too close to the candle.
• December is the peak time of year for home candle fires. In December, 11% of home candle fires began with decorations compared to 4% the rest of the year.

Three fire engines, one medic unit, and one Battalion Chief from El Dorado County Fire District and one fire engine from Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire District responded to the early morning fire.