A 5-year old Hanford girl was listed in critical condition Friday after firefighters rescued her from a burning house. Her grandfather said she ran back in for a teddy bear.
The house in the 1200 block of North Reddington in Hanford went up in flames around 10:30 Thursday night.
Firefighters pulled out Carissa Oxford.
Investigators said her grandfather Clyde Oxford was standing outside the house with a water hose while it was roaring in flames.
Clyde Oxford returned to the house Friday morning to check the ruins.
He said the fire started when he was in bed with his 3-year old grandson; his granddaughter was in her room.
"I could hear sparks and noise," he said.
Oxford said he pulled both children outside and seconds later Carissa ran back in the burning house.
"She just turned around and said I don't want to go... spun around and ran inside the house," he said
He said Carissa went back for a teddy bear and he ran to rescue her but fled the flames without her.
"I can feel the heat burn my face, burned my hair a little bit, my eyebrows," he pointed to his face.
Neighbors rushed to help. Debbie Ledezma pulled Oxford's grandson to safety, before going in for Carissa.
"I went inside but the fire and smoke [blew in my face]...the fire department was there... two men were already running inside," she said.
Carissa was unconscious when firefighters carried her out.
Daniel Alarcon watched in horror.
"I thought she was dead," Alarcon said.
Hanford Fire Chief Tim Ieronimo said Oxford tried putting out the flames with a water hose while his granddaughter was trapped inside.
"When we arrived on scene there was an adult male outside the front of the house with a Garden Hose," Chief Ieronimo said.
Investigators still don't know what sparked the fire. They say Oxford is cooperating with the fire investigation.
"They asked me did I start it? How can I start a fire? Why do I want to be in one? Especially with my grandkids?" Oxford questioned.
