UPDATED: RIVERSIDE: Three elderly victims rescued from residential blaze
UPDATE 10/23/2016 8:35 p.m. With additional information regarding victim’s rescues and current conditions.
22 firefighters responded to the residential blaze. Mike Lange / Loudlabs News photo
RIVERSIDE – Three elderly victims were pulled from a burning residence Saturday Oct. 22. The three were trapped in a residential fire in the 11600 block of Hartford Court in the La Sierra area of Riverside.
City of Riverside firefighters and police officers responded to multiple 911 reports of a residential structure fire that was reported shortly after 5:30 p.m.
Riverside Police Officers Richard Kerr and Kyle Wilder were first to arrive at the location and they reported seeing heavy smoke and flames visible from the home.
The residential structure had a garage that was fully engulfed in flames. Two vehicles were also fully involved in the driveway. Flames were spreading to nearby houses from the embers in the air.
Neighbors – several of whom were trying to help put out the fire using garden hoses – told officers three elderly people lived at the home and were possibly trapped inside the burning residence. They were believed to be towards the rear of the home.
A neighbor tried to help put out the fire using a home garden hose. Mike Lange / Loudlabs News photo
Without firefighters at the scene yet to assist, Officers Kerr and Wilder forced their way to the back yard of the home. Officer Aaron Hernandez also arrived and found a disoriented elderly male resident near the burning home. Hernandez helped move the man a safe location away from the smoke and fire.
Officers Kerr and Wilder located an elderly female resident at the rear sliding glass door of the burning house. Kerr carried the woman to a safe location across the street as the first engine company to arrive on scene began performing an aggressive room to room search for the third resident.
Looking through a window, Officer Wilder saw the third resident laying on the floor who appeared unresponsive. Wilder broke out the window just as firefighters located her.
The elderly victim was found unconscious and not breathing. Firefighters lifted her through the broken window to the officers, a fire captain, and other firefighters.
Firefighters and police officers provide advanced lifesaving measures to the third victim rescued from the burning residence. Bob Markin photo
Officer Wilder and Riverside firefighter/paramedics performed CPR along with Advanced Life Support Measures to the third victim.
AMR medics transported the woman in full cardiac arrest to a local area hospital where she was eventually revived. She is currently listed in critical condition.
The male and other female resident were also transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and a broken leg. Both have been listed in stable condition.
A total of 22 firefighters brought the fire under control within 20 minutes of arrival.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and arson investigators were called to the scene to assist in the investigation.
Riverside Public Utilities responded to the fire to turn off and secure the utilities to the structure.
The home is no longer habitable and the loss to the residence was estimated at $400,000. The American Red Cross was requested to assist the three displaced residents.
There was one reported minor injury sustained by a firefighter. The nature of the injury was not specified.
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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.