Fire leads to discovery of dead woman at Turlock 55-and-older complex, city officials say

A 71-year-old woman was found dead at an apartment complex for adults 55 and older on the 1500 block of East Avenue in Turlock on Tuesday morning, according to city officials.

The Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office identified the woman as Patricia Hill.

At about 8:30 a.m., the Turlock Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire. When crews arrived, they found the fire in the apartment already out.

While the causes of the fire and Hill’s death still are under investigation, the Turlock Police Department said it is not uncommon to find fires already out upon arrival. This can happen when a fire runs out of oxygen to fuel itself.

The Stanislaus County Fire Investigation Unit is handling all inquiries. Those with information regarding the fire are asked to call 209-525-5537.