One person died in a fire in Joshua Tree Friday afternoon. According to County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Tuttle, firefighters from Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and Yucca Mesa, and Twentynine Palms were called to a home in the 60700 block of La Mirada Trail about 1 p.m. Friday. While en route to the fire, fire crews learned that a woman was possibly trapped inside the home. Heavy smoke and flames were visible from the rear of a single story single-family home when fire crews arrived; firefighters began an offensive attack on the blaze, and began an unsuccessful search for trapped occupants and pets in areas inside the home where they most likely would be. The fire was under control in about 18 minutes. Firefighters then went back into the home and did a secondary search and found a deceased woman near the rear sliding glass doors, as well as two cats and a dog that had died in different locations inside. Arson investigators have been called in to determine the cause of the fire. The woman’s identity has not yet been released by the coroner’s office. Tuttle reminds residents that it’s never safe to re-enter a burning building; all occupants should evacuate first and then call 911.
