1 dead, 3 hospitalized in Oxnard house fire Christmas morning
A man died and three people were hospitalized — two of them children — after a residential fire in Oxnard early Sunday, Christmas Day.
The incident was reported around 3 a.m. in the 1400 block of West Guava Street, Oxnard Fire Department officials said. The block is in a residential area northeast of Ventura Road and Hemlock Street.
The fire broke out in a separate granny flat at the rear of the structure, said Battalion Chief Scott Herring. Firefighters found active flame and smoke when they got to the scene.
Lifesaving measures were performed for the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, Herring said.
Firefighters had pulled one of the victims from the unit, officials said. The other three were found just outside.
A mother and two juveniles were initially taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center and St. John's Regional Medical Center, all in critical condition.
The three survivors were subsequently transported to burn units in Los Angeles County, Battalion Chief Michael McCaslin said Monday. Firefighters believe the victims were a family but hadn't yet confirmed that, he said.
The woman and a 7-year-old girl were reportedly taken to the Torrance Memorial Burn Center, he said. A 14-year-old boy was taken to the burn unit at LAC+USC Medical Center. No update on their condition was available Monday.
Fire investigators determined the preliminary cause as candles either left unattended or still lit while the occupants were sleeping, McCaslin said.
The unit had no working smoke detector, he said. The space, which measured about 1,200 square feet or less, was a studio-style setup with no interior walls.
This story may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: 1 dead, 3 hospitalized in Oxnard house fire Christmas morning
