2 burned after explosion, fire at Central Fresno apartment

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two women are badly burned after an explosion and fire in Central Fresno on Sunday. It happened at a detached apartment on Olive Avenue near First Street.

Firefighters responded around 11 a.m. and found one victim with second- and third-degree burns. They learned another victim left the scene, but she later showed up at the hospital.

Crews found evidence that the women may have been making butane honey oil, but the cause of the fire is still under investigation. They say the process for making that drug puts innocent neighbors at risk and often causes serious injuries. That was the case for the woman they found at the scene.

"These victims that suffer these type of burns, flash explosion burns, it's instant pain. Her flesh was coming off her body, and that's normal for these types of incidents," said Battalion Chief Tony Escobedo with the Fresno Fire Department.

Authorities also found toys and other signs that children may have been living in the burned apartment, and they're still looking into that.

The two-bedroom unit had about $10,000 worth of damage, but crews kept the flames from spreading to any other homes.