One Dead, Three Injured In Pre-Dawn Orinda House Fire Sunday

File Photo

Firefighters responding to a call for help from a neighbor in the 500 block of Moraga Way early Sunday arrived to find a residence at 524 Moraga Way burning heavily, one young woman was found just inside with major burn injuries and evacuated while another girl, identified as the family’s 16-year-old daughter Luca, was found dead inside.

Neighbors said the residence, home to a popular and involved local family, was burning when firefighters arrived, their initial access barred by a bridge spanning a dry creek bed. The first calls for assistance started coming in at about 3:53 a.m.

Neighbors said the owners of the home were traveling with a male child and that the family’s two daughters were believed to have been at home when the fire broke out.

A GoFundMe page for the family, headed by television journalist, producer and independent documentary filmmaker Réka Pigniczky and Barnabas Gero, a corporate finance consultant, has been established.

A Moraga-Orinda firefighter was also treated for burn injuries as a result of the blaze, but was released from the hospital late Sunday morning.

Neighbors in the area said they were first made aware of the blaze, keeping in mind the amount of smoke currently in the air, when an unidentified person began pounding on a neighbor’s door, screaming that the home at 524 was ablaze and that help was needed.

The one-story, 4 bedroom, 3 bath residence was built in 1948, according to public records.

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16 Comments

  1. Danica Cruz-Sanderlin on Nov 18, 2018 at 9:56 am

    Terrible. Do they need anything??? Let us know…

    • NEWS24-680 on Nov 18, 2018 at 1:45 pm

      We haven’t heard of anything, yet, Danica… but we’ll certainly let the readership know if material support is required/requested.

    • ArpadMG on Nov 22, 2018 at 9:26 pm

      You can support on:
      Pigniczky-Gero Family: gf.me/u/nrr4cj

  2. Michael James Dudek on Nov 18, 2018 at 9:58 am

    Shit. Sorry. I didn’t want to believe your alerts this morning. This is terrible news. Feeling so sorry for these people.

    • NEWS24-680 on Nov 18, 2018 at 2:17 pm

      Yes, Michael. Big pulsebeat of reaction, offers to assist from residents this morning.

  3. Layla Cranston on Nov 18, 2018 at 10:34 am

    Horrible news. Everyone needs a break and a breather and some good news right now.

    • NEWS24-680 on Nov 18, 2018 at 2:18 pm

      We agree, Layla.

  4. Alex Morro on Nov 18, 2018 at 4:07 pm

    Just when you begin to think things can’t possibly get any worse. Our condolences to this family.

  5. Patricia Price on Nov 18, 2018 at 4:11 pm

    No words. No words for this.

  6. H Church on Nov 18, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    Awful.

  7. Someguy on Nov 18, 2018 at 4:22 pm

    The mom is a high school classmate and a delightful woman. Just saw her at a reunion a week ago. I cannot imagine the pain.

  8. Danielle on Nov 18, 2018 at 4:49 pm

    This is heartbreaking, and the generosity is very heartwarming. Prayers…

  9. Tim Davis on Nov 18, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    Hope you find your strength.

  10. Dan Galloway on Nov 18, 2018 at 9:03 pm

    Should get some help from gofundme. don’t think it will heal but it will help.

  11. L Meza on Nov 18, 2018 at 9:09 pm

    Heartbreaking. So sorry.

  12. Kate Clark on Nov 23, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    Any update???

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