Stanton Man Dies in Blaze

A Stanton man who depended on a wheelchair died early Saturday when flames swept through the rear of his single-story home, filling the house with smoke, authorities said.

Firefighters pulled Raymond Dubois, 65, from the home shortly after midnight, but he was pronounced dead at 12:46 a.m. at Anaheim General Hospital, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Stephen Miller.

About 20 firefighters took 15 minutes to extinguish the fire, which caused an estimated $175,000 damage to the home in the 10200 block of Garrett Road.

“It was extremely hot and smoky inside,” Miller said.

Miller said investigators believe a short circuit sparked the blaze. A preliminary investigation also found that the home had no smoke detectors.

Neighbors recalled Dubois as a friendly father of four adult children--a daughter and three sons--one of whom lived with Dubois but was not home at the time of the blaze.

Ellen Evans, 63, said Dubois was popular in the community. About three years ago, she said, Dubois suffered a stroke that left him unable to walk and made it difficult for him to talk.

“He was a very nice neighbor,” she said.