Blaze Kills 2 Children in Trailer Home

Two toddlers, left alone by their parents in their El Monte trailer home, were burned to death in a blaze in the trailer early Monday.

Deseree Figueroa, 2, and her brother, Jimmy Figueroa, 1, were trapped inside the 25-foot trailer during the 12:30 a.m. fire at a trailer park in the 11900 block of Magnolia Street, authorities said.

Their mother, Angelica Flores, had left the trailer only minutes before to get her husband, James Figueroa, who was visiting neighbors in a nearby trailer, police said.

“The trailer burned quickly and very hot,” said El Monte Detective Sgt. Mike Wolfe. “The mother and father and several neighbors tried to get into the trailer to rescue the kids but it was impossible. The parents are very distraught.”

Flames Spotted

Neighbors first spotted the flames leaping from the trailer and tried to enter it to see if anyone was inside, but the heat drove them back, Wolfe said.

The parents were detained by El Monte police on suspicion of child endangering, but were released Monday afternoon, Wolfe said. No charges were filed against them. “They’ve been very cooperative in our investigation, but they have no idea how the fire started,” Wolfe said.

Thirteen El Monte firefighters from three units fought the flames, but the trailer was destroyed in a few minutes, causing a loss estimated at $12,000, said arson investigator Robert E. Bishop of the El Monte Fire Department.

Bishop said the fire appeared to be an accident but investigators are still trying to determine how it started.