By PETE BENNETT - Contra Costa Watch EMAIL
Phone: 510-460-5641
Posted: 06/13/2013
Reposted to Protect My Sons
Arson Murder - Magalia / Paradise CA
Related: Arson / Arson
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UPDATE June 23 2013 - I posted these articles as they were extremely close to my sons residence. Given that I was cut off from them andd given the number of incidents in Contra Costa that are arson - that was enough for me -
5:30 p.m. Update: Man dies in Magalia fire
By Rick SilvaManaging Editor
Posted: 06/12/2013 10:58:01 AM PDT
The Butte County Sherriff's office and Butte County Fire Investigation Team are investigating a fatal fire that at a single wide mobile home on Drexel Road in Magalia.
The fire, which authorities say was the second one at the home in two weeks, occurred at 2:47 a.m. and began in the back bedroom.
The name of the man who died is being withheld until deputies can get a positive identification, though Sgt. Jason Hail said they believe that they know the name of the victim.
Firefighters were called after a neighbor Marion Prevatt, 40, was awakened by his growling dog as if someone was in his yard.
But when Prevatt looked outside, he saw the mobile directly across the street from his emanating smoke and ran across the street to help his neighbor.
“About the time I got there to the front door, there
as like an explosion,” he said. “Something went boom and fire just came out the window and of everything else.”
Despite the fire and the explosion, Prevatt said he still tried getting to his neighbor.
“I got to the ice box near his back room,” he said. “But it got so hot that I started to choke out. I went in three different times … I barely made it out myself.”
Prevatt said he tried yelling for the man to come out and went down to his knees at one point. He said the man never responded to his calls and never yelled for help of any kind.
“I hollered his name but he never responded,” he said.
Prevatt said the man usually sleeps on the couch and when he entered the house, he noticed the man wasn't there.
“I've never seen him go back there,” he said. “I knew something was wrong when I could find him.”
That is when he made his way to the back of the house, but was overcome with smoke and heat.
“It was so hot, I could see the orange glowing under the door,” he said. “I tried everything I could do to bring the guy out. I just couldn't do it.”
He said the man was a frequent visitor to his home and traded movies with him.
“He was kind of like my father,” he said. “But then my father passed away. He was kind of a role model.
CAL Fire Capt. Joe Tapia said the fire is still under investigation and says it could a month to get finish the investigation.
Tapia said last week's fire at the home and Wednesday morning's fire were both being investigated but would not deem them suspicious.
Hail said that deputies were there for a very in-depth coroner's report and that they are waiting an autopsy to determine cause of death.
