A woman and her 3-year-old son died after they were found trapped in a bathroom in their two-story public housing apartment in San Francisco’s Sunnydale neighborhood Wednesday morning, fire officials said today.
Ester Ioane, 32, was pronounced dead in the apartment at 76 Brookdale Ave. after firefighters arrived at 9:54 a.m. Her son, William Santana, was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital but did not survive, according to the fire department and medical examiner’s office.
Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said the first floor living room area was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived, and while there were smoke detectors in the room they apparently didn’t warn the mother and son in time.
She called the loss of the mother and son a “tragedy.”
The blaze was controlled at 10:20 a.m., according to the fire department.
Residents who called in the blaze reported that someone had jumped out of the window on the second floor to escape, fire spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said. The fire was contained to that apartment.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Scott Morris, Bay City News
