Woman killed in Central EP fire girlfriend of man hired to fix home

Police say 51-year-old Deanna Molina, the woman pulled from the second floor of a burning home, has died.

Detectives are assisting the El Paso Fire Department in its investigation of the house fire Thursday afternoon in the 3100 block of Dyer.

Molina died as a result of the injuries she sustained in the fire and the death does not appear to be suspicious, police said.

Neighbors called 911 around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, telling operators flames were pouring out of the home.

When firefighters arrived, the home’s second floor was fully engulfed in flames. Neighbors say they heard Molina’s screams from the home and told firemen she was inside.

Neighbors and a fire department spokesman told ABC-7 firefighters entered the home but had to exit before being able to rescue Molina. Once the fire was under control around 3:15 p.m., firefighters re-entered the home and pulled Molina out of the building.

“There was no fire, it was just like when you have a log and you put it out and all you can see is the black and the grey, with smoke coming out. That’s kinda like how it was,” said neighbor Sal Rocha.

Fernando Romero, who owns the home right next to the fire-ravaged property, told ABC-7 the home “has been condemned for many years and no one was supposed to be living there.

ABC-7 spoke with Saul Varela, who identified himself as the former owner of the home. Varela said the home is now owned by his brother and he had his brother’s permission to stay at the home.

Varela also told ABC-7 Molina and her boyfriend were at the house without him. Varela said Molina’s boyfriend was hired to fix up the home and Molina would be with him at times.

“He left, he locked the premises down, he left the property and she was left behind. I believe she was intoxicated. She broke in, she would climb the stairwell, walked into thee back kitchen and that’s the last I know,” Varela said.

The house had been condemned in the past, but it is not clear if it had been cleared for residency again.

Damage is estimated at $175,000.