Sacramento Metro firefighters rescue resident from burning Citrus Heights home

Metro Fire crews battling a house fire in Citrus Heights early Friday rescued a resident from the burning home.

Dramatic video from a firefighter’s helmet-mounted camera shows the moments when crews cut their way into the home, finding roiling flames and a house filled with smoke. The resident pulled safely from the home was evaluated and taken to a hospital, said Metro Fire Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn, a district spokesman who was at the scene.

The blaze in the 6100 block of Patterson Lane near Denio Way in Citrus Heights broke out just before 5:40 a.m., according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

The cause of the fire was not known, but Wilbourn said firefighters encountered what he described as hoarder conditions at the Citrus Heights home.

The blaze was at least the second this week where Metro Fire crews were met with clutter conditions. Crews battled a fire that engulfed a Carmichael home Tuesday finding evidence of hoarding inside and on the home’s property. An elderly resident was able to escape the flames. One firefighter received a minor burn while fighting the blaze, said Metro Fire officials.

This story was originally published January 24, 2025 at 8:07 AM.

Darrell Smith

The Sacramento Bee

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Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.