One of the five people confirmed dead in the devastating Eaton Fire was identified Wednesday morning after his family found his body on the side of the road near his home, still holding a garden hose.
Victor Shaw, 66, died protecting the home that had been in his family for nearly 55 years, his loved ones said.
As of Wednesday night, the body was still on the family’s property in the 3000 block of Monterose Avenue, as it was not safe enough for the coroner’s office to retrieve it.
Victor lives in the home with his sister, Shari Shaw, and said she tried to evacuate him with her Tuesday night as the fire approached.
People close to Victor said he had health problems and was unable to get around.
Shari said as she tried to flee through the door, Victor told her he wanted to stay behind and fight the fire.
“When I ran back into the room and shouted his name, he didn’t respond. And the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm that I had to go outside. I had to save myself,” Shari told KTLA’s Rick Chambers. “Then I looked behind me and the house was starting to burn, so I had to leave.”
Al Tanner, a family friend, told KTLA that Victor’s charred body was found on the side of the road with a hose the next morning.
“It appears he was trying to protect the home that his parents had owned for nearly 55 years,” Tanner said.
“I fell to the ground and I didn’t know. I didn’t want to see him,” Shari said. “All they said was that he was lying on the ground and looked peaceful, as if he was at peace.”
As of early Thursday morning, the cause of the 10,600-acre Eaton Fire was still under investigation.
The Eaton Fire is one of four large active wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The largest fire, the 17,234-acre Palisades Fire, destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures. Another 855-acre fire, the Hearst Fire, broke out in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. A fast-moving blaze in the Antelope Valley, known as the Lydia Fire, has burned at least 348 acres and forced evacuations. Crews worked on the 43-acre Sunset Fire, which forced a quick evacuation in the Hollywood Hills.
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