MEINERS OAKS : County to Investigate Safety at Care Homes

As a result of a fatal Nov. 8 fire in a Meiners Oaks nursing home, officials have launched a safety investigation of 65 other state-licensed care facilities in unincorporated areas of the county.

The Shangri-La Guest Home did not have permits to convert a garage into a bedroom where Victor Rose, 73, was burned, and a smoke detector system in the home was not properly installed, said William Windroth, head of the Ventura County Building and Safety Division.

Rose died the next day of smoke inhalation and burns on more than 95% of his body.

In the wake of the fire, Windroth said his office will examine all permit records, and field inspectors will begin safety investigations of other county facilities.

County agencies are still investigating the fire, and no decision will be made on whether Shangri-La Guest Home will be cited, said Ronald Laux, supervisor of the state Department of Social Services residential care licensing agency.

The smoke detector system, which was unplugged before the fire, was not installed according to safety codes, Windroth said.

Windroth said the home also did not have permits to build a carport to replace the garage or do other work on a separate building that housed three of 10 residents.

The owner, Celestina Pascual, has 15 days to apply for permits that the home needs to resume operation, he said. She could not be reached for comment.

The state licensing agency cited the facility several times this year for safety violations, officials said.

Pascual received five other citations for a Simi Valley facility she owns, and all citations at both facilities were cleared, officials said.