Woman dies, 2 others hurt in Berkeley blaze
Berkeley house fire killed one woman and injured two people early Thursday, officials said.
Meredith Ann Joyce, 26, Oakland died of burns and smoke inhalation due to a 2-alarm blaze in 2919 Lorina St, which began in the basement of Victorian-style home, authorities said. fire at 2:36 am after neighbors reported flames shoot from behind home near the corner of Ashby and Shattuck roads. Seven people escaped from a 4-bedroom home, Fire Chief Gil Dong said the vice president, but one of them said to the neighbors of his girlfriend, Joyce, was still inside. Robert McCargar, 67, said he and other neighbors tried to go upstairs to save Joyce, but was beaten back to the smoke. “We came back around the end of the room and the smoke was just too dangerous,” McCargar said as he stood next to the damaged homes. “This is part of the randomness of life in a way. I feel bad because I know he loved them.” Firefighters found Joyce resp onds to the third floor attic area, said Dong, and she died at the scene. Her family has declined to comment. McCargar his roommate, Gianna Ranuzzi said several people had apparently gone home from Oregon and my friend Joyce was one of five people. Ranuzzi fled the home when the fire broke out. “When I came out, the Inferno, the tower in flames” from the house, he said. Joyce was out with a girl, was crying, he said. Two people were hospitalized, one for smoke inhalation and other minor burns. Investigators believe the fire started in the basement back home, but the cause is under investigation, said Deputy Fire Chief John Fitch. Two temperature sensors and smoke detectors were at home, and investigators are trying to determine whether they are working during a fire. American Red Cross was the scene to assist displaced residents.This article on page C – 2 San Francisco Chronicle
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