2 people killed in utility vault fire in Downtown Fresno identified

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The two people who died after a fire in a bridge utility vault in Downtown Fresno have been identified as 57-year-old Johnny Torres and 50-year-old Antonio Corona.

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

The fire happened just before 8:30 a.m. Monday at Fresno and H streets.

Investigators say several people from the unhoused community were seen coming in and out of the area shortly before the smoke was first reported.

Firefighters had to coordinate with PG&E to shut off the power to nearly 600 customers before entering the utility vault to try to put out the blaze.

Once inside, they began a primary search and found one of the victims' bodies.

"They pulled the person out, the patient was deceased and as they continued to go back inside to conduct a primary search, they found another victim who was also deceased," says Fresno Fire Chief Billy Alcorn.

Chief Alcorn says it appeared that the unhoused were trying to live in the vault and may have gained access by digging through the side of the bridge.

The utility vault serves as a main distribution center to the downtown area.