Coroner identifies Fresno man killed in central Fresno apartment fire

Neighbors heard an explosion before fire tore through a central Fresno apartment near First Street and Weldon Avenue, killing 83-year-old James Lowery of Fresno and displacing 15 residents. The Fresno County Coroner’s Office identified Lowery as the man who died in the July 15 blaze.

Fresno Fire said crews responded around 6 p.m. after reports of the blast. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy fire coming from one apartment, with flames threatening nearby units in the building. The scene quickly turned dangerous for both residents and crews working to stop the fire from spreading through the complex.

Fresno Fire later released helmet camera footage Thursday showing firefighters breaching the building during the deadly response. Another camera view from the area captured intense flames near First Street and Weldon Avenue as the fire burned. The images underscored how fast the fire escalated after the reported explosion.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and fire officials were continuing to investigate both the death and the cause of the fire. The deadly apartment fire left one man dead and forced 15 people from their homes, adding another fatal fire to the list of emergencies that have shaken central Fresno neighborhoods.

Lowery’s death has focused attention on the building itself and on what happened in the moments before firefighters arrived. Neighbors said they heard the explosion first, then saw the flames break out, a sequence investigators are now examining as they work to determine whether the fire began with an accident inside the apartment or with some other failure that put surrounding tenants at risk.