19-Year-Old Resident Held in Fatal Care Home Fire
Police Thursday arrested a resident of a home for developmentally disabled adults in connection with a Feb. 6 fire at the home that killed three people and injured five others.
David Allen Giles, 19, was booked into County Jail on three counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of arson in connection with the blaze at the Linda Thurman Home, 1280 Clarendon St.
The fire killed residents Patty Ann Melton, 33; Pietra Corrao, 37, and Mark Steven Buis, 23. Buis’ wife, Deborah Ann, 20, is still in serious condition with burns at UC San Diego Medical Center.
Police refused to release any information about Giles or the arrest, except that Giles was unemployed.
The fire aroused controversy about the role of firefighters at a Bostonia Fire Protection District station about 100 yards from the home, who did not respond to the blaze because the district does not have a mutual aid agreement with the El Cajon Fire Department.
El Cajon firefighters arrived at the scene in three minutes from their station half a mile away and took 27 minutes to extinguish the blaze, which caused about $85,000 damage.
Fire Department investigator Mike Carson has said that a fire alarm system in the home was switched off, a factor that may have contributed to the three deaths.
Fourteen people were living at the board and care home the night of the blaze. Survivors were transferred to an adjoining independent living center, also owned by Thurman.
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