Neighbors Describe Violent Explosion at Fire-Engulfed Home Where Mother, Son Found Dead

A woman and her adult son were found dead in a single-family home ravaged by a fire in Los Angeles County late Saturday night, officials said.

A huge explosion rocked homes in the neighborhood and flames engulfed the home in the 2400 block of North Holliston Avenue in Altadena soon after 10 p.m., according to neighbors.

"I have a two-story house and it shook violently, like it was an earthquake," said Mark Rich, who lives a block over. "I just hope they didn't suffer."

Firefighters arrived to find a single-story, single-family home consumed in flames, Sandford said. It took firefighters roughly 30 minutes to put the fire out, LA County Fire Department Supervisor Kyle Sandford said.

After the fire was out, firefighters searched the home and located the two victims, who were later pronounced dead at the scene, according to Sandford.

Three other people survived the fire; two were hurt, Sandford said.

An LA County Sheriff's Department spokesman said the victims were a man in his late 50s and his mother, in her late 70s to mid 80s. They were Robert Kopp and Betty Kopp, according to public records confirmed by neighbors.

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Phillip Marin, a man who lives at the home, said he was sitting outside in the backyard when he heard the explosion and screams for help.

Marin, who was not hurt, said he was a caretaker for the son.

Rich said he knew the family for years -- they all lived in the same neighborhood.

"It was just devastating. Altadena's this nice little sleepy community, we don't have loud explosions and things like this happen very often," he said.

There were no immediate signs of foul play, deputies said.

LA County Fire Department investigators were on scene to determine what caused the fire, Sandford said.

Oxygen tanks littered the front yard of the Kopp home after the explosion.

NBC4's Asher Klein contributed to this report.
 

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