Hemet fire survivor resuscitated after cardiac arrest, authorities say

Two people survived a massive house fire in Hemet after first responders rescued one of the victims from inside the home and revived her after going into full cardiac arrest, the Hemet Fire Department said Friday .

Firefighters responded to the fire near Palm Avenue Thursday evening and found the home engulfed in flames and smoke, according to Hemet Fire Chief Ryan Webb and Capt. Laura Axcell. They had received several 911 calls that also mentioned that two people were possibly trapped inside the one-story duplex, so firefighters launched a rescue operation.

They forced their way into the home, where they found a person in complete cardiac arrest, firefighters said. After carrying out life-saving measures, they found a pulse and the victim began breathing again. First responders airlifted the victim to a hospital for further treatment.

A second person who survived had escaped the flames and was just outside the home when firefighters arrived, fire officials said. They were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries that firefighters described as minor.

Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes, but six nearby residents were still displaced and receiving assistance from the Red Cross, officials said.

All the occupants of the house have been found and no one is missing. No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.