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Oxnard man found burning near railroad tracks dies
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More from Conejo ValleyA man who was burned over almost all of his body in a brush fire in Ventura Wednesday morning died in the Grossman Burn Center about 10 hours after the blaze, authorities said this morning.
Eddie Estrada, 55, of Oxnard, was pronounced dead at the burn center in Sherman Oaks about 8:25 p.m., said Craig Harvey, operations chief of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Medical examiners had not yet examined Estrada’s body this morning to determine the exact cause of his death.
Estrada was burned on more than 90 percent of his body in a brush fire next to the railroad tracks just south of the 2600 block of Palma Drive in Ventura Wednesday morning.
Firefighters found Estrada still in flames when they responded to a report of smoke in the area at 10:24 a.m., said Battalion Chief Luis Espinosa of the Ventura Fire Department.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames on Estrada and contained the small brush fire in the area next to the railroad tracks, Espinosa said.
Estrada was transferred to the Ventura County Medical Center, then flown to the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks for treatment.
Melissa Balding, who works at the Island Ink screen printing shop on Palma Drive, said she tried to help the man by spraying him with a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived.
After she noticed smoke in the brush behind her business, Balding called 911, grabbed a fire extinguisher and hurried toward the burning shrubs.
When she arrived, she saw the man rolling back and forth on a slope next to the railroad tracks, calling for someone to help him as the clothes burned off his body, she said in a phone interview.
She sprayed him with the fire extinguisher, but it ran dry before she had a chance to finish squelching the flames.
“I just wish that fire extinguishers were as big as trucks,” Balding said. “I was panicking because he caught back on fire.”
The cause of the blaze was still under investigation Wednesday, though police believe it was likely accidental, said Sgt. Jack Richards, a spokesman for the Ventura Police Department.
Posted by schlederdecopan on December 13, 2007 at 12:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Melissa:
You just saved this guy's life!
God bless you!
Posted by CatInAHat on December 13, 2007 at 5:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Suicide?
Posted by AnnaWhaat on December 13, 2007 at 8:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How sad! And Thankyou Melissa for all you did. I am only assumming that this man must have been intoxicated.....just an assumption....He was burned over 90% of his body....If I felt fire I would immediately wake up and roll......I do pray the guy comes out of this ok......
Posted by guy133 on December 13, 2007 at 8:33 a.m.
(This thread was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by AnnaWhaat on December 13, 2007 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess he passed. Prayers to his family and friends.........
Posted by calibaby1978 on December 13, 2007 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It sounds so stupid when people look at this situation as though the person was a drug addict. You don't know what was wrong with when and you would not nor would your family so assume that if this happened to you that you were a drug addict or alcohol related death. My prayers are with his family if there are any members out there and may he rest in peace now.
Posted by sdetatae on December 13, 2007 at 9:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This poor man!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Melissa, for doing what you could.
Makes me want to cry.
Posted by VenturaN on December 13, 2007 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bless you Melissa! You tried & that's what counts. May we all continue to help each other every day. The man was probably just trying to stay warm. Sad.
Posted by briz21 on December 13, 2007 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe he was homeless, cold, and started a fire and layed next to it to stay warm. Possibly fell asleep and rolled in the fire.
Posted by finnmcgowan on December 13, 2007 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe Mr. Estrada was a secret Al Qaeda sleeper who snuck across the Rio Grande from Pakistan with three ounces of flammable liquid in a clear container to work on a train bomb intended to derail a shipment of yellowcake uranium to Dubai via the Hawaiian Interstate, and the CIA leaked the plans to Hamas so they could hijack the shipment and the DEA could blow them up in retaliation for Yemen's terrorist attack on the USS Cole.
Geez, folks, some poor guy you've never met burnt to death. Why do so many feel the need to invent stories out your derrier, and dehumanize him into some pathetic suicidal wino junkie transient? Reserve your judgment until you know some facts. Until then, let the man rest in peace.
Melissa, if I'm ever in an accident, I hope someone like you is there. Thanks.
Posted by whatthe on December 13, 2007 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I couldn't have said it better @ finnmcgowan
Posted by UdontKnowMe on December 13, 2007 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Like always there has to be some igorant comments. If you don't know anyone personally how can you judge them.
Posted by mesantia on December 13, 2007 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
To Melissa, Thank you for doing the best you could with what you had to work with. It took alot of compassion for your fellow man to do what you did.God Bless you and Eddie and his family as well.I wish you well.
Posted by surfmedic91 on December 13, 2007 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TheDoc, the man was from Oxnard but the incident was in Ventura. If Oxnard had more people like Melissa, it wouldn't have helped.
finnmcgowan, the only way to tell if he was al Qaeda is to see if he shaved all the hair off his body under his clothes or had tattoos.
Melissa did a great job but more people need to be trained in emergency measures beyond first aid and fire evacuation.
Posted by hotwildflower on December 13, 2007 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Melissa, your actions took great courage and quick actions. While I would assume this will be with you for the rest of your life, you must know that you did what you could and be at peace with that.
Posted by finnmcgowan on December 13, 2007 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
@whatthe
> I couldn't have said it better
Thanks. But you probably could have.
What I meant to say is that I think with this man's horrific death, he has suffered enough.
There's no need for people to posthumously and publicly disparage a guy they've never before heard of with wild and moronic speculation about his state of mind or how he lived his life.
I don't know him either, but Eddie Estrada was my brother, and I'm sorry I never got to know him.
Posted by bella93030 on December 13, 2007 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I totally agree with finnmcgowan. Save your judgemental opinions pls!
Who are you people God?
Thank you Melissa for your courageous actions and quick thinking! If Eddie could thank you he would.
Posted by luvpunky on December 13, 2007 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HI THIS IS MELISSA, I WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING TO EDDIE "A SAD GOODBYE, MAY YOU REST IN PEACE FOR ETERNITY. YOU WILL BE IN MY HEART AND MIND FOREVER"...
TO EDDIES FAMILY: I AM SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS OF A STRONG WILLED MAN. KNOW THAT HE IS NOW UNDER GODS PROTECTION AND NO LONGER SUFFERING.MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU AND I AM SORRY I COULD NOT DO MORE TO HELP.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS. IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME TODAY ON DEALING WITH THIS HORRIBLE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY. PLEASE BECARFUL.....
Posted by ebrockway on December 13, 2007 at 3:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Melissa, if you ever find me burning that bad just hit me over the head with the extinguisher! You're right though, those things are never big enough when you need the extinguisher.
You did awesome, most would've driven by and never known a person was there.
Posted by dhatcher on December 13, 2007 at 4:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ebrockway
I expected a comment like that from you. ;-) D.
Thanks Melissa. You have shown care and performed far above the call of duty.
Posted by PUFFONTREES on December 13, 2007 at 8:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I KNEW MR. ESTRADA AKA (SPORTO)
MR. ESTRADA WAS A FRIEND OF MINE. A GOOD GUY! HIS SON EDDIE IS MY BUDDY. I AM SADDEN BY THIS NEWS I JUST SAW HIM RECENTLY. I CANT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED TO HIM. I KNOW HE IS IN GOD'S TEMPLE NOW, SPORTO MAY YOU REST IN PEACE!! I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO SHOW SOME RESPECT AND SAY A PRAYER FOR EDDIE, HIS SON AND HIS WIFE PLEASE!
MELISSA-YOU DID ALL YOU COULD. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. MUCH LOVE FROM ME AND MY FAMILY!
Posted by RC on December 14, 2007 at 10:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
this is so sad.Does anyone know how the fire started?
Posted by luvpunky on December 15, 2007 at 12:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
TO PUFFONTREES:
DO YOU KNOW IF THERES GOING TO BE ANY SERVICES BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO GO PLEASE. LET ME KNOW THANK YOU... MELISSA
I DO NOT KNOW HOW THE FIRE STARTED RC BUT I SAW IT RIGHT WHEN IT BEGAN. YES, VERY SAD
Posted by jenwilliams1781 on December 15, 2007 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
My dad died in a similar way. So, I know how much it hurts the family when they read or hear complete strangers think that your loved one committed suicide or it was drug-alcohol related. How presumptuous and disgusting! Have a little respect for Mr. Estrada and his family.
I'm praying for the Estrada family and friends. It will take a long time to accept that their loved one had to suffer in this way. I am so sorry for your loss.
Posted by SummerSun on December 17, 2007 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So close to Christmas, how sad. Melissa, you're a hero!
Posted by AleaSamos on December 19, 2007 at 5:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This man is probably more attention in these comments than he ever received while he was alive!
Melissa was brave to get involved in order to try to help a complete stranger.
Posted by rosasb on December 19, 2007 at 11:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Melissa,
You did the best you can. May God Bless you and your family. Eddie Estrada was a good friend to my boyfriend, Eddie Perez. They grew up together. From Eddie Perez & Bernadine, our prayers and thoughts are with the Estrada family.
Posted by Blev on December 20, 2007 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I knew Mr. Estrada when I was a young child. My grandfather worked with him for many many years in the roofing business. From what I can remember, Eddie was a great guy, always joking around and in good spirits. So for those of you who had the gaul to make harsh comments and judge when you do not know, may you now know, he was a good man. My grandfather is greatly saddened by this and it takes alot for him to shed a tear.
R.I.P.
Mr. Estrada
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