Porterville, CA - Early this morning, at approximately 12:35 a.m., the Porterville Fire Department and the Porterville Police Department responded to a residential structure fire near the intersection of Plano Avenue and Harrison Street.
Upon arrival, first-arriving crews encountered a well-involved two-story residence with heavy fire conditions on both the first and second floors. Firefighters advanced through extreme conditions in an aggressive interior attack and conducted search operations.
During search efforts, firefighters located three occupants inside the residence. The victims are believed to be one adult female and two juveniles. Tragically, all three were pronounced deceased at the scene. It was later confirmed that five occupants resided in the home; two occupants were able to escape and survived.
Fire crews remain on scene extinguishing remaining hot spots and ensuring the structure is fully secured. Fire investigators are actively conducting an investigation to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Tulare County Fire and CAL FIRE assisted Porterville Fire Department with suppression and scene operations. No firefighter injuries have been reported.
Fire Chief Bryan Cogburn offered the following statement, “This is a heartbreaking loss for our community. On behalf of the Porterville Fire Department, I extend our deepest condolences to the family, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragedy. Our firefighters faced extremely challenging conditions and did everything possible. We are keeping the survivors, the victims’ families, and our crews in our thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.”
Porterville Mayor Greg Meister issued the following statement, “Moments like this remind us how precious life is and how important it is to cherish the time we have with one another. As a community, we must come together to uplift and support those who are grieving. In times of such deep loss, it is my belief only God can fill the void and bring comfort where words fall short. I want to sincerely thank our Porterville firefighters, police officers, and first responders who courageously answered the call. They did everything possible to save lives and to contain the fire under incredibly difficult circumstances. We are grateful for their dedication and service. Please keep this family and our first responders in your prayers as Porterville mourns together.”
Additional information will be released as it becomes available.