3 Merced family members battling ‘severe’ injuries from Monday residential fire

Three of the family members involved in a destructive house fire in Merced are continuing to battle injuries, fire officials said.

A large fire gutted a home in the 3500 block of Cordova Avenue early Monday morning, hospitalizing five family members who managed to escape but suffered burns and smoke inhalation, Merced City Fire Battalion Chief Cory Haas said.

The five family members were transported by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center, Haas said. Two of them were released immediately, but the other three were transported to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno.

Haas characterized their injuries as “severe.” Officials declined to release the family members’ ages.

The fire ruined most of the contents of their home, Haas said. But firefighters were able to save most of the house’s structure.

This story was originally published January 8, 2019 at 2:59 PM.