MEINERS OAKS : State Won’t Renew Facility’s License
A state agency has decided against renewing the license of an Ojai Valley board-and-care facility where a 73-year-old man was fatally burned in November, officials said Thursday.
An investigation into the Shangri-La Guest Home in Meiners Oaks began after the Nov. 9 death of Victor Rose, who apparently set fire to his room while smoking in bed and sustained burns over 90% of his body, authorities said.
Violations of the state Health and Safety Code were discovered during the investigation into the fire, said Dianne Kryter, district manager of the state Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Agency. Violations included failure to test a smoke detector, restraining a client in a chair and failure to install ramps appropriate for the use of non-ambulatory patients, Kryter said.
The facility also housed more non-ambulatory patients than its license allowed, she said. In addition, a non-ambulatory patient was placed in a room that had not been cleared for his use by the county Fire Department, Kryter said.
The Meiners Oaks facility is one of three operated by Celestina Pascual, officials said.
State officials said they are investigating the other board-and-care facilities. Pascual could not be reached for comment.
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