Mother, son die in Walnut Creek townhome fire

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - A deadly fire in Walnut Creek Monday morning killed an elderly woman and her adult son in their townhome.

It appears that an unattended cigarette or pipe in a first floor bedroom may have sparked this fire about 6:30 a.m. at Countrywood Townhomes near Heather Farm, Contra Costa County fire officials said.

Investigators say an oxygen machine contributed to the rapid spread of flames. When firefighters arrived, the flames had engulfed both floors.

Firefighters went into the burning building with air tanks to try and rescue the two people inside, but were not able to save them, said Battalion Chief Kevin Platt.

"All the rooms in this building were ablaze," he said. 

A third family member – an elderly man – who lived on the first floor of the townhome, was able to escape and able to tell investigators what happened. 

Officials said one side of the condo wall had no attic fire wall.  

The neighbors who live next door described what they heard.

"My husband heard a boom," said Jennifer Womble. "Then, my daughter started yelling ‘fire.’ " 

Womble said that her neighbor who died had a "heart of gold" and would always bring her little girls candy and treats. She also walked her tiny dog around the neighborhood "20 times a day," Womble said. 

The fire quickly spread through the attic, to two other neighboring townhomes, so altogether, three families are displaced. The Red Cross is working with those families to find temporary shelter.

"In a scenario like this, where it was so well-involved on the first and second floor, the best you can do is start a push from the first floor and moving up. Put out the fire as you go, search for victims as you go," said Fire Battalion Chief Kevin Platt with Contra Costa County Fire Department. 

The names of the victims will not be released until they are positively identified. 

As many as 40 firefighters responded to the scene. 

Firefighters aren't sure if the townhome had working smoke alarms.