An elderly man died from his injuries in a house fire in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 29 in the southwestern part of San Bernardino; while three adults and one child were displaced by another fire in the southern part of the city that erupted the night before, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The first of two structure fires was reported at 6:20 p.m. Friday, Nov. 28, on the 200 block of Magnolia Street. Firefighters arrived at a four-unit apartment complex and found heavy smoke and fire coming from the windows of an upstairs unit. Crews attacked the blaze from outside and contained fire damage to the single upstairs unit, while one downstairs apartment sustained water damage. No injuries were reported. Three adults and one child were displaced and received help from the American Red Cross.
The second fire was reported at 4:16 a.m. on the 6800 block of Elmwood Road. Neighbors met firefighters when they arrived and reported that an elderly male lived alone in the home and that they believed he was inside the structure. Crews immediately forced entry, advanced a hose line, and found the man inside.
He was removed from the home and received immediate medical care before being transported to a hospital, where he later died. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department’s Coroner Division has not yet formally identified the man.
No other structures were damaged in that blaze. The fire marshal and the Sheriff’s Department Arson and Bomb Unit were investigating.
While both incidents remain under investigation, Christopher Prater, spokesperson for the fire department, said the community should review a few key winter fire-safety tips as colder months arrive.
These include keeping all space heaters at least three feet away from furniture, walls, curtains, beddings and anything that can burn; inspect chimneys and have them cleaned professionally; ensure tree branches are cleared at least 10 feet from chimney openings; use a fireplace screen large enough to keep embers or rolling logs from escaping; check furnace vents to make sure they’re not blocked; and never use charcoal-burning grills or heaters indoors. Charcoal produces deadly amounts of carbon monoxide, which is odorless, tasteless and invisible.
