SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) — Marin County authorities now believe the two bodies pulled from the rubble of Thursday’s San Rafael apartment fire are those of the two people reported missing.
Crews discovered the first body Friday afternoon and the second Sunday night.
One of the victims has been identified as Tracey Lee Lowmiller, 62, of San Rafael.
“There was a woman you know, on her balcony trying to escape from the fire and unfortunately as she was trying to jump off the balcony she fell,” said Carlos De La Cruz, a witness.
Carlos De La Cruz is describing what he saw when a San Rafael apartment complex caught fire last Thursday. He was on one side of a canal, the fire was burning on the other. De La Cruz says he first witnessed the flames coming from a corner unit on the lower level and called 911, he again called authorities when he saw the woman trying to escape from her balcony.
VIDEO: 8 injured, 2 missing, 55 displaced after massive fire destroys San Rafael apartment building
Eight people are injured and 55 people are displaced and following a massive San Rafael apartment fire. Two people are still unaccounted for.
“So she fell on her back on the balcony?” asked ABC7 News reporter J.R. Stone.
“On the balcony. Yes and we never seen her moving again,” replied De La Cruz.
We showed De La Cruz Lowmiller’s photo, and he believes that was who he saw trying to escape on the balcony. He even pointed to the area where Lowmiller lived.
Tracey’s friends are heartbroken, saying she previously dealt with her own tough times, but these days helped people in need.
“She used to lend people money that she didn’t have to lend. And often times, she wouldn’t get it back,” said her friend Sean Bernard.
“She was a great person, she was very helpful, all the people down at the dining hall are going to miss her. She was there every day cheering people up,” said Tracey’s friend Katy Bredahl.
“Finally turning around and getting better, and the fact that she had to die in such a tragic way when things were really looking up, is just so heartbreaking,” said Lisa Bernard who was friends with Tracey.
“Marin County hosts a memorial service every year for people that are, that pass away unsheltered, and she would go to those events in support of people that didn’t have anybody,” said Crystal Bernard.
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The other female victim has not yet been named.
Crews are still working to stabilize the 19-unit apartment complex on Canal Street.
Investigators are calling the fire suspicious, due to the fact that it spread so quickly. This also preserves the area as a crime scene.
On Monday, officials said it was unusual for a fire to be burning on all sides of the building.
“When firefighters arrived, this fire was essentially burning form the first floor to the top floor, side to side, front to back. That is very unusual There was no delay in our response,” said Deputy Chief Robert Sinnott, San Rafael Fire Department.
The fire department can not say if there smoke detectors were working during the fire–though the building had passed a recent fire inspection.
Several neighbors told ABC7 News they did not hear any fire alarms last Thursday morning.
The entire complex was engulfed in flames and some escaped by jumping out of windows and off balconies. One person broke their legs but is recovering, according to officials.
More than 50 people who lost their home moved into temporary housing.
Many neighbors say they want to show their support.
“I know some people in our complex have talked about wanting to donate and they been wanting to make sure we get that information out to our neighbors as well,” said neighbor Debbie Murphy.
Canal Alliance in San Rafael is accepting donations for the families that lost their homes.
“They were landscapers, restaurant workers; some of them were students,” said Jennifer Diaz with Canal Alliance.
The organization says the best way to give is money. You can do that in person or online.
“They can find the link on our website, CanalAlliance.org,” said Diaz.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Authorities also hope to formally identify the second female victim by the end of this week.
Officials are asking anyone with video of the area from Thursday morning between 5 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. to share those with law enforcement. They say they are trying to determine why this fire spread as fast as it did.
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