Calif. Man Dies After Being Pulled From Burning Home

Feb. 06--SAN LEANDRO -- A man died after a one-alarm fire destroyed his small home behind the marina on Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The man, who neighbors say was in his mid-60s, was pulled from a back bedroom window of the single-story home on the 13000 block of Neptune Drive shortly after the fire was reported by a neighbor about 4:53 a.m., said Alameda County Fire spokeswoman Aisha Knowles.

The man, whose name was not released, was taken to San Leandro Hospital but pronounced dead by the Alameda County Coroner a short while later, Knowles said.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames and smoke coming through the front door and window of the two-bedroom home and more flames pouring through a rear

window, Knowles said.

Yoshi Ko, 65, who lives next door, said she was awakened by what she thought was the sound of raccoons trying to get into trash cans on the side of the house. When she went outside to look, the neighboring home's living room was engulfed in flames, with even the grass catching fire, she said.

Ko said she banged on a nearby neighbor's door and screamed for him to call 911, then the two tried to fight the fire with a garden hose.

"I grabbed (the hose) and tried to extinguish it, but it was just too big," she said.

Firefighters pulled the man from the rear bedroom window of the home and administered CPR, Knowles said. Crews had the blaze under control within 20 minutes.

Ko said her neighbor

is about 65 years and had lived in the home for more than 11 years.

"It's just sad," she said as she glanced at what was left of the home on Wednesday.

The man lived alone, she said.

The home, located close to the San Leandro Marina, was heavily damaged by the fire, which authorities believe started in the living room.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation, but it did not appear to be suspicious, fire officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 510-670-5858.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking news. Follow her at Twitter.com/nataliealund.

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