An unidentified Mexican died Thursday at UC San Diego Medical Center of burns he suffered when his hut caught on fire, and a second Mexican was in critical condition with burns covering more than 60% of his body, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Raul Lucas, 32, and the unidentified man, who was in his mid-20s, were transported by Life Flight to UC San Diego Medical Center's burn ward shortly after midnight Thursday, Oceanside police Sgt. Bill Krunglevich said.
The man, who had third- and fourth-degree burns over 94% of his body, died at 2:03 p.m. Lucas was listed in critical condition with third-degree burns covering two-thirds of his body, the hospital spokeswoman reported.
Fire broke out when a candle was apparently knocked over in the plastic-covered wood hut where the men lived, on an agricultural field east of Wilshire Road and north of North River Road in Oceanside, Krunglevich said.
