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Elderly Woman Dies In El Cerrito House Fire

EL CERRITO (CBS SF) - An elderly woman died and a man was injured in a fire in El Cerrito Wednesday evening, a fire official said.

Emergency crews responded to the single-family house at Moeser Lane and King Drive at 6:28 p.m., fire Battalion Chief Michael Bond said.

A man was at home with his mother and his 11-year-old granddaughter when the fire broke out, Bond said.

The man tried to get his mother, identified as 97-year-old Beatriz Reyna,  out of the house but she perished in the fire.

The man was taken to a hospital and the extent of his injuries was not immediately known. The girl was not injured, Bond said.

Firefighters had the two-alarm blaze under control by 7:03 p.m.

The fire caused an estimated $700,000 in damage and Bond said it was "pretty much a total loss of the house."

The family has found temporary housing with nearby family, Bond said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation although Bond said it appears to have been accidental and may have involved candles.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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