Authorities are investigating after a man and two dogs were killed in a house fire in La Habra Saturday morning.
The fire broke out around 10:40 a.m. at a home in the 1300 block of North Farrington Avenue.
Neighbor Alisa Grace recalled hearing the explosion and quickly ran outside to find the victim’s garage engulfed in flames.
“We ran to the front door and knocked to see if anyone was home, and there was just flames coming out of the garage and smoke coming out,” Grace told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff. spoke.
Grace, who lives across the street, said the house was occupied by a family of four and several dogs.
Cellphone video of the scene showed neighbors rushing to extinguish the fire, which spread from the garage to the home.
A man and two dogs were killed in a house fire in a La Habra home on November 30, 2024. A man and two dogs were killed in a house fire in a La Habra home on November 30, 2024. (OnScene.TV) ) A man and two dogs were killed in a fire at a La Habra home on November 30, 2024. (OnScene.TV) Neighbors were seen knocking on the victim’s home. On November 30, 2024, a man and two dogs died in a house fire in La Habra. On November 30, 2024, a man and two dogs died in a house fire in La Habra. November 30, 2024, La Habra Residence. (OnScene.TV) On November 30, 2024, a man and two dogs were killed in a house fire at a home in La Habra. (OnScene.TV) A man and two dogs were killed in a fire at a La Habra home on November 30, 2024. November 30, 2024.
“You see all the cars in the driveway and you think, ‘Maybe they’re all out of town because no one answers the door,'” Grace said.
Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel arrived and began working to extinguish the growing flames. The homeowner, a 48-year-old man, and his two dogs were found dead in the garage. The third dog became unresponsive and was taken to a veterinary hospital.
The victim’s identity has not been released by authorities.
“It’s very sad,” Grace said. “Some people lost their husbands and fathers. My heart aches for my neighbors.”
According to his brother, the victim was a family-oriented person. His wife and children were not at home at the time and were traveling abroad.
Officials say the fire started in a garage, but it will take time to determine what led to the deadly blaze.
“This is difficult because it depends on how accurately firefighters know where the fire started and what caused it,” said Los Angeles County Fire spokesman Fred Fielding. “So depending on how clear the image is, it could take longer.”
Former Los Angeles County Fire Chief Art Arzaga was one of the good Samaritans who knocked on the victim’s front door Saturday morning to see if anyone was inside.
He warned neighbors to take precautions in clearing the road for arriving firefighters.
“It appeared to be primarily in a garage with a car parked next to it, and the fire spread to the car, tires started flying off, and other explosions occurred.” [neighbors] I heard it,” Arzaga explained.
Throughout his career, Alzaga has fought all types of dangerous fires, from deadly house fires to massive wildfires. He said Saturday morning’s incident was especially tragic considering the holiday season.
“It’s always tough because you have family and friends around and you just want to feel festive,” he says. “It’s a tragic loss for everyone and for our neighborhood.”
Loved ones told KTLA that the victim’s wife and children are preparing to return home as soon as possible.
The home remained boarded up Saturday night as the deadly fire remained under investigation by La Habra police.
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