Arson Suspected In Deadly Stockton Hotel Fire

STOCKTON (CBS13) — An investigation into a deadly fire at a Stockton hotel is underway and police don't believe the blaze was an accident.

About 15 people were rescued from the building that officials say shouldn't have been open in the first place.

"This kind of stuff is the stuff that drives me," said Kathleen Gapusan. "I mean when we lose people unnecessarily and needlessly, we have to stop.

She was shocked to see the commotion outside the Hunter Street apartment building, then devastated to her cousin Johnny Dougherty was killed in an early-morning fire.

"Johnny helped the other residents and he helped them a lot," she said.

The Stockton Fire Department got the call around 6:45 a.m. on Monday.

"We had multiple people hanging out of windows on the second floor and roof area due to copious amounts of smoke," said Chief Erik Newman.

Once the flames were out, firefighters found a body and Stockton police called out homicide investigators.

But something about the timing of the fire is not sitting well with residents, saying code enforcement ordered them last week to be gone by 8 a.m. on Monday morning.

Laverne Gardner says her son lives upstairs and had his clothes packed and ready to go.

"They condemned this place; it didn't meet up to code," she said.

Stockton police spokesman Joe Silva says code enforcement found roaches and inoperable heaters inside.

Gapusan says former homeless people and others looking for safe housing are too often ignored. She wants to see better conditions in the future.

"The problem doesn't just stay on the banks of our rivers and our streets," she said. "It affects every aspect."