Resident found dead as firefighters battle ‘challenging’ blaze of two-story Sacramento home

Sacramento firefighters discovered the body of a person inside a burning South Natomas home while battling a blaze Thursday morning.

The Sacramento Fire Department was called about 12:40 a.m. to a two-story home on fire on the 3600 block of Rio Loma Way. When they arrived, according to a social media post, firefighters encountered “heavy fire” and a “challenging” fight “due to the amount of fire throughout the structure.”

Firefighters quickly arrived but struggled to make their way into the home, worried that the flames had compromised the front of the home, according to dispatch audio reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

Fire Department spokesperson Capt. Justin Sylvia said that as firefighters made their way to the back of the home, they found the sole occupant around 1 a.m. The person was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim was expected to be identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office in the coming days.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 9:13 AM.