Woman Found Dead During South LA House Fire
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Firefighters putting out a garage blaze in eastern San Diego County discovered a body in the ashes afterward.
The body of a 49-year old woman was found inside a burning home in South Los Angeles early today, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.
Firefighters rushed to a single-story house at 1100 block of W. 76th St. in response to a report received at 4:47 a.m., said department spokesman Brian Humphrey. The blaze has tentatively been blamed on an ill-advised attempt to use charcoal briquettes for heating, officials said.
"The improper heating device may have not only led to the fire, but also a build-up of carbon monoxide inside the home,'' he said.
Firefighters forced entry through the home's security doors and made their way to a locked bedroom that was engulfed with flames, Humphrey said, adding that it took 20 firefighters less than 12 minutes to douse the blaze.
"Firefighters discovered an adult female inside the home. The woman was sadly beyond our help and declared dead at the scene,'' Humphrey said. No other injuries were reported.
The home was not equipped with smoke alarms, fire detectors or a carbon monoxide detector.
The victim's name is being witheld, pending notification of her family.
