Officials detail deadly fire in Porterville

DURING AND FOLLOWING A DEADLYFIRE IN PORTERVILLETHAT CLAIMED THE LIVES OF TWOFIREFIGHTERS.FIRE OFFICIALS DISCUSSING THATFIRE JUST HOURS AFTER THE BODYOF PATRICK JONES WAS TRANSPORTEDTO THE TULARECOUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE.THIS MORNING -- PORTERVILLE FIREOFFICIALS SAID WHEN CREWSFIRST ARRIVED TO THE LIBRARY ONTUESDAY -- THE PRIORITY WAS TOMAKE SURE THE LIBRARY WASCLEARED OUT.NOT KNOWING IF ANYONE WAS STILLINSIDE -- CAPTAIN RAYMONDFIGUEROA AND FIREFIGHTER PATRICKJONES WENT INSIDE THEBURNING BUILDING HOPING TO CLEARIT OUT.MOMENTS LATER A MAYDAY WASSIGNALED -- AND EFFORTS BEGANTO SEARCH FOR THE TWO.FIGUEROA WAS FOUND -- AND LIFESAVING EFFORTS WEREPERFORMED.HE ULTIMATELY DIED AT AN AREAHOSPITAL.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S RAPIDINTERVENTIONTEAM WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THEBODY OF JONES.HE WASN'T FOUND UNTIL ABOUT10-30 LAST NIGHT.THIS MORNING A PROCESSIONFOLLOWED HIS BODY FROM THEPORTERVILLE LIBRARY TO THETULARE COUNTY CORONER'SOFFICE.OFFICIALS DISCUSSING MOMENTS AGOTHE TOLL THISINCIDENT HAS TAKEN."AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED...OUT: I'M SURE IT'S IN MY FACE ASYOU SEENOW."THE PORTERVILLE FIRE STAFF AREON STAND DOWN UNTIL TOMORROWMORNING TO MOURN.THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THATOTHER AGENCIES WILL COME IN TOFILL THE VOID OF PORTERVILLECREWS OVER THE WEEKEND..

SOFIREFIGHTERS CAN RECEIVECOUNSELING OR OTHER SERVICES.TWO 13 YEAR OLDS HAVE BEEN TAKENINTO CUSTODY INCONNECTION WITH THE FIRE.COUNTY OFFICIALS SAYING THEYWILL BE TRIED ASJUVENILES.THE ARVIN COMMUNITY SERVICES