Investigation Continues into Cause of Blackhawk Fire

Firefighters don't yet know what caused a Tuesday night fire in Blackhawk that left a 19-year-old dead and his father in critical condition.

Killed was Benjamin Litman, a student at Venture School in San Ramon. His father, physician Robert Litman, was found unconscious inside the home and remains hospitalized in San Jose.

The fire swept through the large two-story home at 2978 Deer Meadow Drive around 11:15 p.m. 

According to a website for Robert Litman, he is a 62-year-old family physician in San Ramon specializing in allergy care.

Staff answering the phone at his Norris Canyon Road office said they did not want to comment.

The coroner's office identified the son as Benjamin Litman, Contra Costa County Sheriff's spokesman Jimmy Lee said. The 19-year-old was found dead in a bedroom. His mother reportedly arrived home during the fire.

The victim's father was found unconscious in a bedroom and was suffering from smoke inhalation, said Fire Chief Richard Price. The father was treated by San Ramon Valley paramedics and flown by helicopter to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. The hospital said Wednesday the father is in critical condition.

The two family dogs were also killed in the fire.

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District responded to the call from a fire alarm monitoring company reporting a smoke detector activation. When fire crews arrived they found the roof of the home covered with flames. Chief Price said it was unclear why the father and son were not alerted by the alarm system.

Crews responded with six engines, two trucks, two paramedic ambulances, four chief officers, one safety officer and two fire investigators.

The home sustained approximately $1.5 million in damage and $500,000 in lost contents.

See live video of the fire here.

Patch San Ramon Editor Jennifer Wadsworth and Patch freelance writer Charles Nguyen contributed to this story.