A California woman is speaking out after surviving a horrifying attack that left her with second- and third-degree burns over nearly one-third of her body.
Frances Lopez, 33, of Oildale, says she was visiting a friend at a homeless encampment on July 11 when a dispute over money suddenly turned violent.
According to Lopez, three people arrived at the tent and began arguing with her friend.
She says one man then grabbed a gas can, poured gasoline on them and suggested setting them on fire.
Lopez told local station KERO that when she tried to escape, she was pushed back onto a bed inside the tent.
She says a woman then ignited the flames.
Within seconds, Lopez and her friend were on fire.
Lopez managed to get out of the tent and used the “stop, drop and roll” method to extinguish the flames before running to a nearby trailer park for help.
She described feeling both freezing cold and intensely hot while struggling to breathe after the attack.
Emergency crews airlifted her to a specialized burn center in Fresno.
Lopez says doctors had to resuscitate her twice during transport and treatment.
Medical staff determined that she suffered second- and third-degree burns across about 32% of her body, including her arms, back, legs and face.
Her injuries were so severe that she remained hospitalized for nearly eight weeks and underwent four surgeries.
She was finally discharged in September, but her recovery is far from over.
Lopez says she still has open wounds, limited mobility and needs daily dressing changes.
Because Bakersfield does not have a burn center, she must continue traveling to Fresno for follow-up care and treatment.
That has made an already difficult recovery even more exhausting for her family.
Lopez says she does not currently have a home health nurse, meaning much of her wound care has fallen to relatives.
The case also remains unresolved.
The Kern County Fire Department confirmed that the incident is still under investigation.
Lopez says she has spoken with an arson investigator and provided information about the people she believes were involved.
She has declined to identify them publicly because she fears for her safety.
As of the latest update, no arrests had been announced in connection with the alleged attack.
Lopez says that uncertainty has left her afraid to leave her home.
She also claims the lack of a publicly available case report has complicated her efforts to obtain victim assistance and financial help for her growing medical expenses.
For now, she is focused on physical therapy, wound care and rebuilding her strength.
But she says she also wants answers.
Lopez hopes investigators eventually make arrests and that what happened to her does not happen to anyone else.
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