Teenager Dies of Burns Suffered in House Fire

A teenager severely burned in a Val Verde house fire Thursday died Saturday, succumbing to respiratory and cardiac arrest several hours after surgery to remove tissue destroyed by the burns, a hospital spokesman said.

Sean Williams, 17, was pronounced dead after doctors struggled for nearly an hour to revive him, said Larry Weinberg, spokesman for the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital. Williams had suffered second- and third-degree burns over 43% of his body.

His half-brother, Patrick Crawford, 7, sustained third-degree burns over 65% of his body. The boy underwent surgery Saturday to help ease his blood flow. He was listed in extremely critical condition, Weinberg said.

The fire, which appeared to have started around the family’s Christmas tree, was ruled accidental by Los Angeles County Fire Department investigators Friday, said Gary Wise, a fire dispatch supervisor. But the case has been turned over to the Sheriff’s Department, which is investigating it as a possible arson, said Sgt. David Halm.

Patricia Lynn Martin, 20, a boarder at the house, was in critical condition with second- and third-degree burns over 18% of her body at County/USC Medical Center.