[Photo: FFD]FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Two people are burned in a tent fire in Downtown Fresno, a homeless woman is arrested for arson.
The blaze broke out around 4:00 am Tuesday morning inside a tent near Ventura and G Streets.
Fresno Fire Investigator Jay Tracy says Fresno police officers arrived on scene before fire investigators, and started interviewing people to learn more about the origins of the fire.
“There were some witnesses and statements made that implicated this young lady,” said Investigator Tracy, who confirms the fire was intentionally set.
42 year old Pearline Louise Brown, was arrested and charged with arson with great bodily injury.
Brown was booked into the Fresno County Jail.
“Two victims were transported, apparently one of the victims was wheelchair bound, and had some difficulty getting out of the tent, and she suffered some (severe) burns, and the gentleman whom helped rescue her from the fire had some minor burns and smoke inhalation,” said Investigator Tracy.
They were transported to CRMC for treatment.
Investigator Tracy says the Fresno Fire Department conducts up to 450 investigations a year, and 75 percent of the call volume deals with the homeless, “getting into, you know, abandoned homes, fires like this, it’s an ongoing, uphill battle for us.”
Click to hear the report by KMJ’S Liz Kern:
