PORTERVILLE CA (KMJ)- Porterville remembers two fallen firefighters Friday – both dying in the line of duty.
The ceremony taking place on the same day that Tim Ward, the Kern County District Attorney, announced it had filed two counts of murder with special circumstances of multiple murders and arson related charges against the two 13-year-olds who allegedly started the fire.
The DA’s office said the minors denied the charges, remain in custody, and will return to juvenile court on March 11, 2020.
25-year old Porterville Firefighter Patrick Jones and 35-year-old Fire Captain Raymond Figueroa were first to rush into the Porterville Library Tuesday night.
Fire Chief Dave LaPere says they did so to make sure others escaped the flames.
They did not survive.
Flags at City Hall will be flown at half-staff through sunset on Monday, February 24, in honor of Porterville firefighters Raymond Figueroa and Patrick Jones pic.twitter.com/je1ic8dHdh
— City of Fresno (@CityofFresno) February 21, 2020
Shock resonated through the city and Porterville’s Fire Department.
“The outpouring of support that we have received is indescribable, it’s just been heartfelt and it’s… it’s… we’ve needed it,” said Fire Chief Dave LaPere during a press conference on Thursday.
City Manager John Wallace said that the service was arranged for the grieving community; “provide the opportunity for the public to come and to make their …ah, express their regards.”
The City of Porterville scheduled the public remembrance Friday, Feb. 21, 2020 in Centennial Park on Main Street in Porterville across from City Hall at 4:14 pm, the same time the deadly blaze began.
Click to listen a report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
