Man Found Dead in Burning Northridge Garage
A elderly man was discovered dead inside a burning Northridge garage Monday morning.
The fire at 17063 Knapp Street was reported to the Los Angeles Fire Department at 6:21 AM on January 23, 2023. Firefighters arrived quickly to find smoke showing from the rear of a 3,191 square-foot single family home, and soon discovered contents ablaze within an attached garage that had been converted into living quarters.
During fire attack, firefighters discovered an 84 year-old male lifeless within the garage conversion. Beyond medical help, he was determined dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Twenty-six LAFD Firefighters under the command of Battalion Chief William Peralta confined the fire within the converted garage, preventing flames from extending into the attached home or attic. They extinguished the blaze in just 13 minutes.
There was no immediate evidence of the home being equipped with functional smoke alarms as required by law. The 47 year-old structure was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers.
A positive identification of the decedent, as well as the specific cause, time and manner of his death, will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Monetary loss from the fire is still being tabulated. The fire's cause remains the focus of an active Los Angeles Fire Department investigation.
