Authorities were investigating a fire that broke out Saturday on Mt. Helix, resulting in the death of an elderly woman.
The blaze broke out at around 12:15 p.m. in the 9100 block of Lavell Street, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, and San Miguel Fire & Rescue crews responded.
Deputies arrived on scene after receiving a call that smoke was spotted behind a house. Upon arrival, they found a woman who had escaped, then attempted to rescue another woman trapped upstairs.
The smoke and flames, however, pushed her back according to the sheriff’s department.
Firefighters reached the victim, who had succumbed to her injuries. The woman who escaped the fire was later determined to be the granddaughter of the victim. She was treated at the scene and released. No deputies or firefighters were injured.
The Medical Examiner’s Office will identify the victim and determine the cause and manner of death once her family has been notified. The sheriff’s Bomb and Arson Unit detectives responded to the scene to determine the origin and cause of the fire.
Battalion Chief Nick Nava said the fire was challenging because of the split-level home’s hillside location. The blaze also had spread to surrounding vegetation over a quarter-acre area, but was put out in 30 minutes.
City News Service and OnScene.TV contributed to this report.
Updated 8:40 p.m. July 8, 2023
