103-year-old man was one of three people killed in North Texas house fires this week
A 103-year-old man died and a woman was critically injured after a house fire in Denton on Wednesday night, Dec. 18, officials said.
Denton firefighters responded to the fire in the 2000 block of Houston Place about 10:55 p.m., the Fire Department said in a social media post. Crews received reports that two people were trapped in the burning home.
Heavy fire was seen from the front of the residence when the first unit arrived, and second alarm was soon called.
Firefighters said they found the two “elderly male and female victims” in the search of the house. Both were taken to Texas Health Presbyterian, where the man died. He has been identified as as 103-year-old Dante Bassi.
The woman was flown to the burn unit at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, where she was listed in critical condition.
It was one of at least two deadly house fires in North Texas this week.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, the DeSoto Fire Department responded to a residential fire on Canyon Ridge Drive that resulted in two fatalities.
Upon arrival about 2:30 p.m., crews from the DeSoto Fire Department, with help from the Duncanville Fire Department and DeSoto Police Department, found the home was not safe to enter, DeSoto Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post.
Firefighters began a defensive operation to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to neighboring homes.
Neighbors said that an older couple lived in the home. They will be identified by the medical examiner.
“The City of DeSoto expresses its profound sorrow for the loss of life in this tragic incident and extends heartfelt condolences to the families affected,” officials said in the post. “As a community, we stand together in support as we mourn this loss.”
The causes of both fires are under investigation.
