BAKERSFIELD, CA-- A fire started in the 2700 block of Monterey Street around 1:30 a.m. Three Kern County Sheriff's deputies were first to arrive. They found flames shooting from the home.
"It was very hot outside the residence there was smoke coming out of the windows,” said Deputy Karena Delagarza, Kern County Sheriff’s Department.
Part of the roof had collapsed, and was blocking the doors with a woman still inside.
"Now when we initially broke the window, we couldn't see more than five feet."
Deputy W. Manuel Lopez, Kern County Sheriff's Department. “The victim of the residence was able to get to the window and we safely pulled her out."
Initially Loretta Picket was more concerned about her dogs.
"I wanted to get my other dogs out and they told me I had to come now,” Picket said.
But now that she is safe Picket is grateful to her rescuers as they were also able to save her three dogs.
"I'm glad they did it,” Picket said. “At least I can watch my grand kids grow up.”
The manager of the rental property, Fred Twyman, is glad everybody is safe but he thinks the fire was started outside.
“Some kind of accelerant was thrown at the corner of the building,” Twyman said. “It started out front and went into the building."
Twyman also thinks it could have been a retaliatory act by a former tenant.
“Me kicking people out for drug use and stuff like that," Twyman said.
The amount of damage to the property is unknown at this time and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
"It was very hot outside the residence there was smoke coming out of the windows,” said Deputy Karena Delagarza, Kern County Sheriff’s Department.
Part of the roof had collapsed, and was blocking the doors with a woman still inside.
"Now when we initially broke the window, we couldn't see more than five feet."
Deputy W. Manuel Lopez, Kern County Sheriff's Department. “The victim of the residence was able to get to the window and we safely pulled her out."
Initially Loretta Picket was more concerned about her dogs.
"I wanted to get my other dogs out and they told me I had to come now,” Picket said.
But now that she is safe Picket is grateful to her rescuers as they were also able to save her three dogs.
"I'm glad they did it,” Picket said. “At least I can watch my grand kids grow up.”
The manager of the rental property, Fred Twyman, is glad everybody is safe but he thinks the fire was started outside.
“Some kind of accelerant was thrown at the corner of the building,” Twyman said. “It started out front and went into the building."
Twyman also thinks it could have been a retaliatory act by a former tenant.
“Me kicking people out for drug use and stuff like that," Twyman said.
The amount of damage to the property is unknown at this time and the cause of the fire is under investigation.