Crime & Safety
Fireworks May Have Caused Richmond Fire Deaths
Authorities say Fourth of July fireworks may have been responsible for the fire deaths of a mother and father and critical injuries to their adult son at their Richmond home in the early morning hours of July 5, 2013.
Fourth of July fireworks may have caused the death of a couple in their Richmond garage and the critical injuried suffered by their son, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Richmond fire Battalion Chief Manly Moulton said firefighters responding to a report of a fire at 2:37 a.m. in the 600 block of 21st Street found the couple inside the home's burning garage, according to Bay City News Service. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
The adult son was found on fire running through the backyard, the Chronicle reported, citing Deputy Fire Marshal Robin Poindexter. He was taken in critical condition to a local hospital with burns over 100 percent of his body, the paper said.
The Chronicle article reported: "Fire investigators found beer cans, cigarette butts and fireworks strewn across the front yard, and believe the fireworks could have ignited the blaze, Poindexter said."
The deceased father was 56-year-old Mearn Lee Pom, and the mother was 50-year-old Bounkeo Viengvilai, the paper said.
Moulton said eight people lived on the property, with the parents and son living in the converted garage and other family members living in the main house, according to Bay City News.
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