Menlo Park apartment fire kills one person, two dogs

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Damage from the fire at 1017 Madera Ave. in Menlo Park on Dec. 24, 2023. Courtesy Jon Johnston.

One person was killed, one was injured and two dogs were killed by an apartment fire in Menlo Park early Sunday morning, Dec. 24.

The Menlo Park Fire District said it responded to a reported structure fire with possible occupants inside at 3:17 a.m. at 1017 Madera Ave. Responding units found a light haze of smoke coming from two broken living room windows from the two-bedroom unit.

Local residents had used extinguishers and a garden hose to try extinguishing the fire from outside. Firefighting crews forced entry through the front door and extinguished a small smoldering fire in the living room while two other crews performed search and rescue operations.

Through heavy smoke, firefighters found two victims on the floor in the back bedroom. One victim, a woman in her 60s, died from burns and smoke inhalation. Another female victim in her 60s was transported to Stanford University Medical Center in critical condition. Two pet dogs also died in the fire, Fire Marshall Jon Johnston said.

The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday identified the deceased woman as Teresa Alkire, 66.

“The fire started in the living room and was accidental,” Johnston said, noting it appeared to be electrical in nature.

“There was minimal damage. It was a slow, smoldering fire that consumed part of a chair and a cat tower. The smoke and heat trapped them,” he said. The woman who died appeared to have opened her bedroom door and was overcome by the heat and smoke.

SLIDESHOW: A Christmas Eve fire at 1017 Madera Ave. in Menlo Park took the life of a woman and two dogs. Another female resident is hospitalized, according to the Menlo Park Fire Protection District. Photo by Sue Dremann.
SLIDESHOW: A Christmas Eve fire at 1017 Madera Ave. in Menlo Park took the life of a woman and two dogs. Another female resident is hospitalized, Menlo Park Fire Protection District officials said. Photo by Sue Dremann.

Johnston said it was apparent that the women were smokers and smoked in all of the rooms. They had removed the smoke detectors in every room in the unit.

Firefighters want to remind people to install and test their smoke alarms in all bedrooms, hallways, and each floor of their home.