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Richmond Man Arrested After House Fire Kills Three Relatives

Officials are treating the blaze as an intentional homicide with the suspect held on murder and arson charges at $2.5 million bail.

Overview

  • Firefighters responded to two separate fires on the 15th Street block on Tuesday night and found a family of four unconscious in the second home after it became a three-alarm blaze.
  • Police confirmed three people have died: a 47-year-old man and two young children, and a 33-year-old woman remains hospitalized in critical condition.
  • Officers arrested 32-year-old Sergio Rivera-Vega near the scene and booked him on two counts of murder and two counts of arson causing great bodily harm.
  • Authorities say the two fires were started independently, a woman has been arrested in the earlier nearby blaze, and both incidents are under separate active investigations.
  • Relatives say the suspect had made threats and had mental-health problems, but police have not established a motive and the criminal and fire investigations will determine cause and next steps.