Galveston house fire leaves woman dead, arson investigation underway
GALVESTON, Texas - An early morning Galveston home fire is being investigated as possible arson and homicide, officials report.
The Galveston Fire Department swiftly responded to calls around 1 a.m. Thursday morning about a structure fire in the 700 block of 39th Street.
Firefighters say they saw three people inside the burning building, trying to escape through a window. The crews were able to use a ladder to pull them out through the window, but they later saw a fourth person was unconscious inside.
Galveston Fire Chief Charlie Olsen said a dog was brought out as part of the investigation, and they got hits on accelerants.
All four were taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the person found unconscious, 55-year-old Renita Hawthorne, later died.
The conditions of the other three people are unknown.
Courtesy of I-45NOW
Two firefighters received minor injuries and were taken to UTMB. One was later released, but the other is being held for observation.
Galveston fire investigators report the fire was intentionally set and are undergoing an intensive arson and homicide investigation led by the Galveston Fire Marshal’s office. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to reach out to detectives at 409-765-3779. Alternatively, anonymous tips can be submitted to Galveston Crime Stoppers at 409-763-8477 or via their website.