ENCINITAS (CNS) - A man was killed in a fire that erupted at a home in Encintas and a deputy who tried to save him was taken to a hospital for treatment of a non-life-threatening injury, authorities said Saturday morning.
Deputies responded to a call of a structure fire at 470 Arroyo Drive at 8:10 p.m. Friday and, upon arrival, were told a man was trapped on the second floor of the two-story home, according to Sgt. Agustin Rosas of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
A deputy went into the home to try to save the man, but was unable to get to the second floor due to the fire, Rosas said.
Part of the home's roof had collapsed by the time firefighters arrived, according to the Encinitas Fire Department.
The deputy suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to UCSD Hospital for treatment, Rosas said.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames by 10 p.m., then found a man dead on the second floor of the home, Rosas said.
10News spoke to neighbor Sean Peck, who saw the fire grow exponentially. He remembered that this was one of several tragedies his community has recently experienced.
"This neighborhood, there was another fire on Ocean View, and there's a high level of homeless. They sometimes start fires in the canyon there," Peck said. "New Year's Eve, we got our cars broken into, and two days later, the house next-door is burned down. Not a good way to start 2020."
Other neighbors told 10News, the now-deceased homeowner is a contractor who lives alone in the main house. The granny flat on the same property, occupied by his ex-wife, was not damaged.
The name of the victim was not disclosed.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
