Synopsis: Deputies enter a burning building
Details:
This is a news release of the Kern County Sheriff's Department.
Please do not contact the Sheriff's Communications Center.

Date:     Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time:     1:48:32 PM

Details:
On 5-16-08 a deputy assigned to our air support unit saw a large amount of smoke coming from the area of the 1800 block of Alta Vista.  He directed ground units to the location.  A patrol sergeant and several deputies responded to the area.

When they arrived, they found two residences, 1814 and 1808 Alta Vista, engulfed in flames.  No fire department personnel were yet on scene.  An elderly woman who spoke broken English was standing in front of the two burning residences.  The woman told the deputies that one of her family members was still inside one of the burning residences and she pointed toward 1814 Alta Vista.  The sergeant and two deputies went into the burning residence the woman had indicated in an effort to rescue her family member. 
They searched the house as it burned, but found no one inside.  When they came back out, the woman again told them that her family member was inside the burning building.  There was now some confusion as to which residence she was referring to, so the deputies had her accompany them into the alley behind the residences so she could more clearly point out the correct residence.

She then pointed directly at 1808 Alta Vista.  The deputies entered the detached garage behind the residence and found the woman's family member inside the garage.  They escorted him out to safety.

By this time, the electric wires above the residences had caught fire.  The wires were snapping and popping as they were breaking and falling to the ground.  The wires posed a significant threat to the numerous people who were outside watching the fire burn, some of whom were on the roof of the apartment complex dousing the flames with water from garden hoses.

The apartment complex at 1800 Alta Vista was now directly threatened by the fire.  The patrol sergeant directed the patrol deputies on scene to evacuate the apartments and isolate the area pending the arrival of the fire department.

While conducting evacuations, a deputy found a non-ambulatory elderly woman alone inside 1800 Alta Vista, Apartment C.  He carried her outside to safety.

Fire personnel arrived and extinguished the fire without anyone being injured.