Death, 3 San Joaquin Valley Home Fires Blamed on Illegal Fireworks

One death and three home fires in the San Joaquin Valley have been blamed on illegal fireworks.

Flying metal from homemade fireworks struck Carol Yarborough, 38, of Taft in the chest Thursday evening at a Bakersfield residence, the Kern County coroner’s office reported. She died later at Mercy Hospital.

A bottle rocket that smoldered for more than an hour set fire to the roof of a home in Fresno shortly after 2 a.m. Friday and caused $55,000 damage, city fire investigators said.

Off-duty firefighter John Burgess saw the flames and awoke the son of the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin W. Ferrall. They were out of town, but the son had been playing with fireworks in the backyard earlier in the evening, inspectors said.

Firefighter Hurt

A bottle rocket also was blamed for a $55,000 fire in a four-unit condominium at 2944 Peach Tree Drive in Stockton on Thursday night. Firefighter George Walls was taken to a hospital for treatment after a hose struck him in the face and knocked debris from the fire into his eyes, officials said.

And firefighters suspect that fireworks caused a $60,000 fire at the home of Joanne Baker at 3200 Cornell St., Bakersfield, just after 6 a.m. Thursday.