1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey

Will Conybeare
·2 min read
3

A large fire completely engulfed a home in L.A.’s Del Rey neighborhood early Tuesday morning, resulting in the death of one person and the hospitalization of another.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, flames were first reported at the single-story home located at 4918 Sycamore Drive just before 6:15 a.m.

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It took more than 35 firefighters with both the LAFD and the Culver City Fire Department just over 40 minutes to extinguish the flames and contain the fire to the unit of origin.

Although the home initially appeared to be vacant, firefighters discovered two occupants inside once they put out the blaze. One of them was transported to a nearby hospital in unknown condition while the other was pronounced deceased, LAFD said.

  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)
  • 1 dead, 1 hospitalized following massive house fire in Del Rey
    A large fire completely engulfed a home in Culver City, California, resulting in the death of one victim and the hospitalization of another on Feb. 13, 2024. (KTLA)

Footage captured from Sky5 shows the raging fire sending smoke billowing into the air and towards the nearby 405 Freeway, briefly causing a delay for drivers heading north from the 91 Freeway.

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Fire officials have declared the building a knockdown and are set to be on scene throughout the morning to begin their investigation.

The cause of the blaze has not been established, but neighbors attributed the fire to homeless people squatting in the house, which had been red-tagged, according to the L.A. Department of Building and Safety.

“The squatters have been here more for the last six months,” said neighbor Sharon Wormley-Carter. “Before, there were just RVs parked here and some other activity that has been going on. But over the last six months, we’ve seen drug activity. There’s been three fires. One, a house behind us, burned completely down. There was a tree fire, and now this one has burned down as well.”

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