Morning RV fire in Ventura leaves one man dead

VENTURA, Calif. – A large RV fire that erupted just before 9:40 a.m. on Thursday killed one man who was trapped inside and sent one bystander to the hospital, according to the Ventura Fire Department.

Fire crews were dispatched to Main Street at Hartman Drive in Ventura to find a growing fire inside of a parked motorhome RV, according to Battalion Chief Matt Brock.

Crews were able to make an aggressive attack and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings, Brock said.

However, after a complete search of the inside of the vehicle, crews found an adult male of an unknown age deceased inside the RV, Brock said.

A bystander who was initially trying to help with the fire had to be transported to Ventura County Medical Center for smoke inhalation, he added.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation by police, and any further updates on the cause or outcome of the death investigation will be provided by the Ventura Police Department.

The fire department reminded residents to always have a working smoke detecter in any living space and to never leave an open flame unattended.