By Khalida Sarwari
Authorities today identified five people who died in a fire at a residential care facility for the disabled in Marina late Saturday night.
The fire occurred at about 11:45 p.m. at the Mount Carmel Adult Residential Facility, located at 3239 Seaside Court.
Five people, all patients at the facility, were killed in the fire, according to Marina police Lt. Rick Janicki. They have been identified as John Hernandez, 21; Rubicella Ramirez, 26; Janette Navarro, 22; Monica Calderon, 24; and Mary Morales, 22.
A sixth patient, a 22-year-old man, is recovering at a hospital, Janicki said.
“He’s doing as well as expected,” Janicki said today. “He has some development issues so it’s been hard for him to communicate.”
The six patients lived at the single-story residence along with two caregivers. The caregivers were treated for smoke inhalation at local hospitals and released.
Three police officers and one firefighter also suffered smoke inhalation and were treated and released.
The injured were taken to the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital and Natividad Medical Center.
A motorist traveling on state Highway 1 reported the blaze after seeing smoke in the area, Janicki said.
Police and firefighters responded to find the front portion of the house fully engulfed and one large section of the roof had collapsed, Janicki said.
He said the house has been boarded up and is uninhabitable.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is helping with the investigation, Janicki said.
Twenty-three firefighters responded to the fire, including those from the Presidio of Monterey Fire Department, North Monterey County Regional Fire District, Monterey County Regional Fire District, Monterey Fire Department, and the Seaside Fire Department.
