Serious burns for victim in central Fresno fire

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Burned rubble is all that's left after a house fire in Central Fresno

That, and some prayers

Neighbors in the area of Clinton Avenue and Bond Street gathered to help a woman Saturday morning after they heard screams and found her on fire in an alleyway.

"This morning at around 8:00 this morning I seen a big old fire just raising up," said neighbor Mary Ochoa.

Ochoa lives behind the alley where the woman was found.

The blaze raged through a garage and into an apartment building, leaving two families without a home and about 40 firefighters with a lot to do.

"Pull a lot of ceiling, perform salvage operations where we removed belongings, and it just took more folks than it usually takes," said Battalion Chief Lawrence French.

Neighbors say the woman was named Judy and tell us she frequented the alley right next to the burned garage. People nearby rushed to help put out the flames that were on her, and she was taken to the hospital.

"Currently the injuries to the civilian are said to be 20-40% of her body, second and third-degree burns," French said.

Nearby neighbors said they heard a commotion in the alley and they believe that Judy may have been targeted, and the fire might have been intentional, but Fresno Fire and the Sheriff's office could not confirm.

What can be confirmed is that Judy is left with serious burns and four people are without a home. Neighbors say that flammable trash and furniture in the alley has been an issue for a while.

"To me, it seems like a year, one year that that's been there," Ochoa said.

After the fire, most of what's left is prayers.

"I hope and pray that they can clean all that up," Ochoa said.