Amid snow, firefighters were battling a blaze that broke out in a residential area of the mountain community of Lake Arrowhead Thursday morning.
The fire engulfed a home on the 28000 block of Bill Larchmont Lane, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said. The department added that multiple people reported hearing an explosion prior to the fire.
Daniel Dressler said his brother-in-law, Mike Limpus, and his fiancé, Ari Aguilera were both injured in the blast, which he said was caused by clogged vents at the bottom of the gas meters.
"Mike was in the bedroom of the house," Dressler said. "The explosion happened, it blew him through the bedroom door, knocking the door off the hinges. Almost instantly, the roof collapsed."
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Firefighters closed off road access as they used snow cats to get equipment to the area.
NBC4’s NewsChopper4 helicopter showed firefighters shoveling snow to try to extinguish the flames, which were burning among large trees and near residential buildings, sending smoke into the air.
Dressler said Limpus sustained burns to his face, scalp and both hands. He also had a dislocated shoulder, Dressler said.
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The community about 80 miles northeast of Los Angeles is one of many digging out from the historic snowfall. At Lake Arrowhead Village, crews cleared a parking lot at a Stater Bros., one of the few places in the area where residents can stock up on supplies.
