Two dead, two critical after back-to-back 'suspicious' fires on 15th Street

The Richmond Police Department confirmed Wednesday that a fire on the 200 block of 15th Street Tuesday night was fatal. Two people, including a child, died and two others were left in critical condition after a pair of fires broke out within an hour of each other on the same block, according to fire officials cited in NBC Bay Area's reporting.

Richmond firefighters were first called to a structure fire in the 200 block of 15th Street at about 8:10 p.m. Tuesday. No one was hurt in that fire, officials said.

Two homes on the 200 block of 15th Street in Richmond show fire damage Wednesday morning, a day after a fatal fire left two people dead and two critically injured.

About 45 minutes later, while crews were still mopping up the first scene, they noticed smoke and flames coming from a second home two doors north. Firefighters entered the burning house and found four people inside. All four were pulled out and taken to a hospital. An adult and a child died from their injuries; another adult and child remained in critical condition, officials said.

Fire officials said the first fire did not cause the second. Both blazes are considered suspicious, and Richmond arson investigators, the Richmond Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office are investigating. Names of the victims had not been released as of Wednesday.

The Richmond Police Department confirmed in a Facebook post that officers were assisting Richmond Fire Department crews with road closures and traffic control in the 200 block of 15th Street, and asked the public to avoid the area and use alternate routes while the roadway was closed.

By Wednesday morning, the scene remained taped off. Two visibly burned houses stood on the block, with a Richmond police cruiser and city utility trucks still parked out front, and caution tape sealing off the sidewalk in front of the damaged homes.

The Richmond Police Department and Richmond Fire Department are holding a joint press conference Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in front of Richmond City Hall, 450 Civic Center Plaza, to provide updates on the fire, according to Lt. Joe England, RPD's chief of staff and public information officer. Outlets unable to attend can expect an updated press release on the department's website later Wednesday afternoon.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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