Family, friends mourn 68-year-old woman killed in a Boyle Heights fire

Family and friends came together to mourn a 68-year-old woman after a fire ripped through her second-story Boyle Heights apartment.

"It hurts to see her go," said neighbor Jose Orozcco. "I am going to miss that lady. Every time I ride on my bike I am going to say a prayer for her."

Victoria Velasquez was a mother, grandmother and friend to many and it was that sentiment that made it incredibly difficult for her daughter Sonia to come back to her mother's home. With her mother dead, all she has left are memories. 

"The majority of her stuff was destroyed — ashes," she said. 

Sonia and her family hired an attorney to uncover more about her mother's death after questions began to pile up.

"There was no water in the fire hydrant. A lot of time was wasted," Sonia said. "Despite how the fire was, they found her in the bedroom and she didn't get burned."

Fire investigators said smoke detectors were working and arson was ruled out. However, the department is still unsure what sparked the fire.

Officials also said there was nothing noted in the report about a faulty hydrant. 

As the family waits for answers about Velasquez's death, they said their mom will always be in their hearts. 

"She was just very happy," said Sonia. "She never held any grudges for nobody."

The family's attorney said they are waiting on the results of additional investigations and said the family is not only concerned about getting answers but preventing another tragedy similar to it in the future.