FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A deadly fire inside an underground utility vault in Downtown Fresno is under investigation after two people were found dead Monday morning, prompting a large-scale technical rescue operation and power outages in the surrounding area.
According to Fresno Fire Chief Billy Alcorn, the operation was especially dangerous because crews had to navigate a confined underground space filled with live electrical equipment.
Investigators say the vault had been converted into a makeshift homeless encampment that may have existed for months beneath a downtown overpass.
“It was a challenging situation,” Alcorn said. “Not only did you have a fire, but you also had live electrical down there in a confined space.”
Authorities say the underground area was accessed through a tunnel dug beneath the dirt near the overpass. Chief Alcorn explained that the vault was never intended for public access from the side, but people had apparently created an entry point and were living inside.
The incident began Monday morning when smoke was spotted coming from the underground vault.
Construction crews nearby reported seeing three people leaving the area where the smoke originated.
Emergency crews quickly realized that entering the space would require a technical rescue response due to the hazardous conditions underground.
Once firefighters gained access, they discovered two bodies inside the vault. Crews then worked to fully extinguish the fire while ensuring no one else remained trapped underground.
The operation forced officials to shut off electricity to part of the downtown area so firefighters could safely work around the live electrical infrastructure. Residents in nearby buildings, including Matsen Towers, were left without power during the response.
“Well, they’re not happy because it’s going to get hot,” resident Toni Lujan said. “It’s already getting hotter.”
Lujan, who lives across the street, said the homelessness crisis downtown has become increasingly concerning.
“I feel bad for them, but if they were doing something they shouldn’t be doing, they were taking risks,” she said.
The identities of the two victims have not been released. Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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