A woman died in a mysterious fire early Wednesday morning at a group home in a neighborhood just north of Elk Grove.
The blaze destroyed the home in the 8200 block of Olander Way near Power Inn and Calvine roads about 1:15 a.m. Neighbors called 911 to report the fire and that people were trapped inside the structure.
Seven people, including the victim, were inside the house when the fire broke out, said Capt. Jeff Lynch of the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Officials from the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office have not released the woman’s identity pending notification of family.
One of the residents, alerted by a smoke alarm, woke others living in the house, Lynch said.
“He got everyone out safely with the exception of an adult female,” Lynch said. “We found her deceased inside. It appeared she died early on in the incident. She was severely burned.”
Lynch said he had been told the woman was in her 40s or 50s.
One neighbor said he spoke with a woman who lived in the house and matched that description the previous night.
The woman approached him and his son as they were in their driveway and told them, “I want to die,” said Lanier Dangerfield.
Later, as Dangerfield returned home, he saw the residents out in the street watching their home burn.
“She’s the only one I didn’t see come out,” Dangerfield said.
Ron Stevenson, another neighbor, said for the past year and a half, the house has been a revolving door of people coming and going.
Stevenson said police often visited the place and sometimes loud arguments could be heard late at night.
He estimated that at any given time eight to 10 people lived in the house, a modest two-story dwelling of not more than 2,000 square feet.
One couple, Stevenson said, told him that they were paying $1,000 a month to rent a room.
Both Stevenson and Dangerfield said the owner did not live in the house, but visited from time to time.
A call to the home’s registered owner, Flora Richards, listed at a different address, was not returned Wednesday.
Lynch said residents described the house as a “transitional living facility” or an “independent living facility.” A check of the address failed to turn up a license on the state Department of Social Services’ Web site. Lynch said the fire marshal also tried to find a license for the facility but was unable to do so.
“This could be anything from arson to accidental, so we are not giving out any details as to where she was found or what position she was in,” Lynch said of the victim. “We have not ruled anything out.
“Investigators have interviewed witnesses, looked at the body and are sifting through what they can find. We will have to wait on their findings and the autopsy to find out if she died from smoke inhalation or fire or some other means,” he said.
Damage to the house was estimated at $300,000.
The Red Cross assisted the residents displaced by the fire.
There were no injuries to firefighters or the other residents. Two dogs, however, died in the fire.
Lynch said the smoke detector probably saved many lives.
West Coast 911 story source: Sacbee.com / Written by Stan Oklobdzija
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
The victim’s name was Sam Ferrara. I never saw a follow-up article and never thought to post. If you see this and knew Sam please post.
You must log in to post a comment.