Woman killed in fire at Dos Palos apartment complex, officials say
No details have been released on the woman's death. Her husband was able to escape the fire safely.
MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A woman has died following a fire at a senior living apartment in Dos Palos on Tuesday.
Firefighters were called out to the burning building on Dora Street off of Center Avenue at about 7 am.
Ronnie Stallworth says his life partner, Kathy Ryan, was killed in the fire.
"It's hard to try to imagine what was going through her head. But I know she was scared. That's what hurts me the most," said Stallworth.
He remembers Kathy as a sweet and loving woman.
Firefighters rushed to the area after the first call came in.
"At the time of arrival of our first unit we did have one apartment, fully engulfed, extended into the second," said CAL FIRE Merced County Battalion Chief, Joey Felix.
In total, four units were destroyed.
Initial calls reported Ryan was barricaded inside the apartment but Stallworth believes she was trying to set off a fire alarm to alert everyone around her.
As investigators try to piece together what led up to the deadly fire, three other families in this community are now left without a home, including Jesus Hernandez.
"I was asleep. I don't even know what the hell was going on, my friend. When I come out, the smell, I got out because I see the smoke. And I get out and I don't even know what happened on the other side either," recalled Hernandez.
Hernandez has lived in this apartment complex for more than 10 years.
He says he is okay after the fire, just a little shaken up.
His daughter, Dora Figueroa, lives and works in the Bay Area.
When she got to the apartment complex, she was relieved to see her dad was safe.
"I was devastated. You know it's my dad, we only have one dad. And I love my dad very much so that's why I'm here," said Figueroa.
Firefighters from Merced County, Dos Palos and Los Banos Fire were called out to help get a handle on the flames.
There's no word yet on how the fire started.
Multiple people have been displaced. The Red Cross is assisting.
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