Toddler dies in west Modesto house fire; six others injured in the blaze
Am 18-month-old child died in a house fire in west Modesto Saturday afternoon, according to the Modesto Fire Department.
At 3:17 p.m. Modesto and Ceres fire department were called to a report of a working structure fire on the 400 block of South Martin Luther King Drive, near Pine Street. When the first engine arrived it was met with a large crowd outside of the house who had reported the fire and indicated there could still be someone inside, said Modesto Fire Department Division Chief Michael Lillie.
Crews entered the structure to search for people and fight the flames coming from the north and back sides of the home. Lillie said firefighters found the approximately 18-month-old toddler deceased inside the house.
There were also six other people who were treated for various injuries from the fire, from smoke inhalation to first-degree burns. It is unclear whether the other victims were residents of the house or attempting to rescue people inside, Lillie said. Three were transported to the hospital and three refused further care at the scene.
Six engine companies, one truck company and three chief officers from the Modesto, Ceres and Stanislaus Consolidated fire departments were called to battle the blaze. Lillie said the fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes.
Three fire investigators were called to the scene, and another was sent to the hospital to talk with the other victims of the blaze. Lillie said there is no clear cause of the fire at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.
This story was originally published February 29, 2020 at 6:14 PM.
