A fire in the East Bay city of Richmond that displaced eight people and claimed the life of an elderly woman last night is now under investigation.
Officials say the owner of the house, Yvonne Harris, was running an unlicensed residential board-and-care facility at the location. KTVU reported Harris admitted she did not have the proper license.
Harris could face charges.
The fire started at a townhouse on Virginia Avenue.
Nine people, including the now deceased 67-year-old woman Billie Harris, now have to find a new place to live.
It was not immediately clear if Billie and Yvonne Harris were related. Billie Harris was pulled from the burning structure, but later died on the way to the hospital.
The fire was initially reported Thursday night at 6:15p.m. as a kitchen fire, but the official cause is still under investigation.
There was extensive damage to the facility with minimal damage to the neighboring complexes. The Red Cross is assisting the displaced residents.
