By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
(SBCISD photo)
Alicia Anguiano, who was killed Wednesday in an apartment fire, is seen in a 2009 photo after being recognized for 25 years of employment with the San Benito CISD Transportation Department. Anguiano was also recognized this June for 30 years of employment.
A Wednesday morning apartment fire at the Luxury Apartments in San Benito claimed the life of Alicia C. Anguiano, of San Benito, as well as her young grandson.
Anguiano, 64, was in the apartment with her 5-year-old grandson, whose identity has yet to be released, when the fire ignited. First responders received the call at 10:14 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, and Anguiano was pronounced dead at the scene. The San Benito Fire and Police departments performed CPR on the child until an ambulance could arrive.
Family members had informed the News that the boy survived multiple near-death episodes. Several attempts at resuscitating the child were successful; however, the family ultimately made the decision to take the boy off life support. He died Friday morning at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen.
SBFD Operations Chief Raul Zuniga said on Thursday that specific details regarding Anguiano’s death are not being released at this time.
Anguiano was the Transportation Department secretary for the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District. Anguiano had been employed with the school district since 1983. In June, she received a service award for having completed 30 years of dedicated service.
The actual cause of the fire remains under investigation by the fire department. Chief Zuniga said, “I have a couple of investigators looking into it right now, but as of now, I cannot release any additional information.”
On the loss of a longtime district employee, SBCISD Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón said, “We are deeply saddened to learn about the death of one of our very own. We extend our most sincere and deepest condolences to the Castillo and Anguiano families.”
“We ask for prayers for the family while they cope with this unexpected and sudden loss,” Limón added.
“We feel a tremendous loss in the passing of Alicia, a caring and dedicated mother and grandmother, a longstanding employee of our district, and a devoted friend and colleague,” said Rolando Monsevalles, Director of Transportation.
“Though this is a very difficult loss, we are confident that she is in a better place, and we will deal with the loss just as Alicia would have wanted us to do so,” Monsevalles added.
1 comments
My deepest condolences to the Castillo and Anguiano families. It’s a sad, sad loss….I would see the grandchild every morning walking to Dr. Cash ES as I was dropping my nephew off. He would be as happy as can be. May they rest in peace.