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Fifth firefighter dies after California inferno

01 Nov 2006 05:35:15 GMT
Source: Reuters

LOS ANGELES, Oct 31 (Reuters) - The California wildfire that killed four firefighters last week claimed a fifth victim who was critically burned in the tragedy, officials near Los Angeles said on Tuesday.

Pablo Cerda, a 23-year-old U.S. Forest Service firefighter, died on Tuesday afternoon after being hospitalized Thursday with burns over 90 percent of his body. He and his colleagues were engulfed by flames in the Esperanza fire near Palm Springs, about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles.

It was the worst tragedy to befall the Forest Service in a single wildfire since 1994, when 14 firefighters were killed in Colorado.

Investigators believe the fire, which blackened an area nearly three times the size of Manhattan but is now fully contained, was arson. They are sifting through hundreds of tips and plan to bring murder charges against the culprit. A $500,000 reward has been offered.

Cerda, described as a quiet man who liked soccer, died at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center burn unit in Colton, about 50 miles (80 km) east of downtown Los Angeles.

Also killed in the blaze were Mark Loutzenhiser, 43; Jason McKay, 27; Jess McLean, also 27; and Daniel Hoover-Najera, 20.

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Last updated:Wed Nov 1 05:37:22 2006