PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Pablo Cerda, who suffered devastating burns in a California wildfire that killed four fellow firefighters, died Tuesday after struggling for life for six days.
The 23-year-old was burned over 90 percent of his body, the Los Angeles Times reported. He died in late afternoon at the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.
Cerda and his colleagues were overtaken by flames as they tried to save a house last Thursday from the Esperanza fire near Palm Springs. The fire, which investigators say was deliberately set, was spread quickly by Santa Ana winds.
The fire was declared under control late Monday after blackening 40,000 acres. All evacuations were lifted after 6 p.m.
More than 50 investigators from the Riverside County, Calif., Sheriff's Department, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives are working on the case. Sara Danville, chief deputy district attorney for Riverside County, said the case takes on "special circumstance" status for prosecutors.
"It is potentially a death-penalty case," Danville said.
Not counting property damage, the cost of fighting the fire stood Monday at $8.3 million, the Times said.
