San Bernardino County firefighters rescued a woman from a burning house during the early morning hours of April 15. At 5:31 a.m., San Bernardino County Fire dispatchers received a call of a house fire at the 15600 block of El Centro Road in Hesperia. Neighbors who noticed the flames called 9-1-1 to report that a nearby structure was on fire, and 17 San Bernardino County firefighters rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters immediately entered the home, located a 60-year-old female in the east bedroom, and pulled her to safety. She was transported to Desert Valley Hospital where she was treated for smoke inhalation and minor facial burns. Firefighters contained the fire by 6:05 a.m.

Fire investigators have determined the fire started in the living room and quickly spread to the rest of the 1800 square foot structure. Due to the extensive fire damage, the home was declared a complete loss and damages are estimated at approximately $100,000. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. There were no other structures involved.

Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. Have a working smoke alarm reduces one?s chances of dying in a fire by nearly a half. To learn more about fire alarms and escape route planning, visit our website at www.sbcfire.org or the U.S. Fire Administration site at www.usfa.dhs.gov.