Mission Hills Resident's Return Into Burning Home Proves Deadly
A pre-dawn fire Wednesday in the north proved deadly, when one of four adults who initially escaped the blaze, returned inside to retrieve personal belongings prior to the Fire Department's arrival, and was later found deceased inside his flame filled residence.
A 9-1-1 call from a neighbor summoned responders at 3:02 AM on January 24, 2024, to in , where firefighters arrived quickly to find from an one-story home, which had been converted to a residential duplex.
According to witnesses, the four adults residing in the conjoined dwellings safely escaped flames before one male resident reentered his smoke-charged unit to retrieve possessions, and failed to return.
It took the well-coordinated teamwork of 32 firefighters under the command of Battalion Chief Scott Hilton just 22 minutes to access, confine and extinguish the flames. The remains of the adult male were subsequently discovered within the structure.
An adult female resident who safely escaped the flames, later came forward with minor medical complaints related to smoke exposure. LAFD Paramedics treated and transported her to an area hospital in fair condition.
No other injuries were reported.
LAFD personnel provided immediate emergency monetary assistance for those displaced through the 's '' (SAVE) Program.
Volunteers from the and American Red Cross arrived to provide on-site emotional support and coordinate basic life needs for those who survived.
Firefighters discovered no evidence of within the pair of occupancies, as required by law. The 72 year old structure was not equipped with optional .
A positive identification of the decedent, as well as the specific cause, time and manner of his death, will be determined by the County of Los Angeles .
The cause of the fire remains under active investigation.
