Mother, 3 Children Badly Injured in Blaze at Home
An early morning fire in a Hawaiian Gardens house Thursday left a woman and her daughter critically burned and two more children seriously hurt, officials said.
Maria Cardoza, 30, suffered second- and third-degree burns to her hands, chest and face, is being treated at Torrance Memorial Medical Hospital, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Killeen.
Cardoza’s daughter, Tamara, 10, is listed in critical condition in the pediatric intensive care unit at Miller Childrens Hospital at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, said Killeen. Cardoza’s son, Favio, 3, is in serious condition at Long Beach Memorial. Another daughter, Josalin, 8, is listed in serious condition at County-USC Medical Center, he said.
The cause of the fire in the 12300 block of Brittain Street has not been determined. Investigators believe candles on a religious altar may have sparked the blaze, which caused about $20,000 damage.
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