76-year-old killed in mobile home fire near Caruthers, officials say

CARUTHERS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A pile of family pictures covered in soot sits outside a home on West Avenue that caught fire.

Just before 2 am Tuesday, CAL FIRE Fresno County responded to West Avenue near Nebraska Avenue, on the outskirts of Caruthers.

"On the way to the incident, crews got word that there was a patient unconscious outside," CAL FIRE Fresno County Battalion Chief Brandon Markle said.

Markle says by the time firefighters showed up, the five people who lived in the home were outside.

"Two brothers were able to pull the grandma out and they were all able to make it out of the house," Markle said.

Fire officials say, despite everyone being able to get out, 76-year-old Linda Elder of Caruthers did not survive.

Three others were taken to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation and some burns.

Fire officials say anytime there's a fire and someone is injured, it changes their priorities on what to do first.

"When you show up at a house and you have patients who need help and they're outside of the house, we have to go to that first before we go to the structure fire," Markle explained.

Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation and it's unknown at this time if the home had working smoke detectors.

Markle say anytime there is a fire at a home, it is an important reminder for everyone to check their smoke detectors, make sure they're working and make sure they have fresh batteries.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above is from a previous broadcast and will be updated.