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On April 21, 2023, three people were found dead, and one person injured in a fire that erupted through a home in the El Cajon area on North Anza Street near Broadway. The people were identified as Marilyn Trumper, Herman Trumper, and Ian Trumper. Robbie Trumper managed to survive the flames.
Authorities arrived within minutes of the blaze being reported to find the home engulfed in flames. Clouds of smoke were seen escaping from the charred home, and the fire quickly spreading to a nearby power pole. A video of the blaze was captured and put online, shocking El Cajon homeowners.
Two people were pulled from the home by firefighters, both dying soon after being rushed to the hospital. A third victim was found suffering from smoke inhalation, the man was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Firefighters from San Miguel, Heartland, and Lakeside fire departments all responded to the scene. The fire crews also found a fourth victim while putting out the remaining flames of the home. Marylin tragically died during the initial incident inside the home; the victims were all believed to be adults.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, along with details pertaining to a damage estimate. The home is considered destroyed and unsalvageable, two vehicles were also damaged in the fire. Burn patterns were analyzed by the sheriff’s bomb/arson unit and they spoke with witnesses to best determine what led to the home’s demise.
Gerald Singleton of Singleton Schreiber said, “The news of this fire is awful, our condolences and greatest sympathies are with the families of those that lost their lives or were found injured.”
Singleton Schreiber home fire damage attorneys can be reached at 619-367-7768 or by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.
El Cajon Home Fires
Home fires can be all too common, and residents of El Cajon and the rest of San Diego have seen fires start from seemingly “safe” activities. This can occur because products in the home can be defective, materials in the home can be unknowingly flammable, or the house itself can be poorly designed.
Home fires can occur due to the following reasons:
- Cooking-related fires – Cooking fires are known to be the most common occurrence for house fires causing close to 49% of all residential fires. Often caused by grease being overheated on the stove or within the oven.
- Heating appliances – Home space heaters and baseboard heaters can cause fires when fabric or materials are left too close to them.
- Electrical fires – Various types of electrical faults in home wiring can be the cause of home fires due to short circuits or loose connections causing sparks that unfortunately ignite building materials.
- Smoking – Fires from cigarettes and smoking materials have the potential of igniting fires from cigarette butts dropped on furniture, carpeting, or other flammable materials.
- Candles – The matches and lighters used to light candles are known to be dangerous if left in a place where children can reach them and can lead to harmful fires.
- Chemical fires – Residential chemical fires occur commonly when volatile vapors from gasoline and other petroleum liquids reach a flash-point temperature or when the fumes contact a source of open flame.
In 2008, California passed a building code which required that California “fire-prone” regions have fire-resistant roofs, siding, and other safeguards. However, not every builder or construction company follows these codes, and houses built before 2008 may not have been brought up to code properly.
San Diego Home Fire Insurance
When these fires occur, families often turn to their first line of defense – their homeowner’s insurance. Unfortunately, this often begins a long, drawn-out claims process that can end in headaches and heartache. There are numerous stories of San Diego homeowners losing their homes to a fire, only to begin a years-long wrestling match with a billion or trillion-dollar insurance company.
In El Cajon and all East County, some residents live in unsafe homes due to the materials developers chose to build them with. So, for families that suffer a home fire, they may have claims against developers, contractors, or insurance companies. But, finding a San Diego home fire attorney who can help them get the justice they need is not easy.
El Cajon Wrongful Death Fire Cases
In this instance, with three people losing their lives, the tragedy is immense. The survivor, Robbie Trumper, was a surviving grandson. Ian Trumper was a biological grandson who had been adopted by Marilyn and Herman Trumper. This family will never be the same, and any of their surviving children and grandchildren must now face the awful question “what now?”
“Many unknowing individuals are faced with immeasurable tragedies due to home fires across the state of California,” said Mr. Singleton. “My hope is that people who have lost loved ones find the legal assistance they need to get the justice they deserve.”
Those who have been injured in East County, El Cajon, or anywhere in San Diego in home fires, can contact Singleton Schreiber at 619-367-7768 or by emailing info@singletonschreiber.com.
