A man was found dead after firefighters extinguished a house fire described as having “pack-rat” conditions in Hawthorne Sunday, officials said.
The fire was reported around 6:15 a.m. in the 5000 block of West 135 Street, according to Supervisor Miguel Ornelas of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The fire was extinguished around 6:40 a.m., Ornelas said.
A witness told firefighters that there was possibly one person unaccounted for in the fire, and a search into the house was conducted. Firefighters found the man in the living room.
Officials said his death may have been caused by smoke inhalation.