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84-year-old man missing in Mt. Washington fire believed to be dead
Firefighters believe an 84-year-old man who went missing during a fire in Mt. Washington is dead.
The fire broke out Thursday night just before 10 p.m. at a hillside home in the 4000 block of Sea View Avenue. By Friday morning, the fire had been mostly extinguished although crews remained at the scene to mop up hot spots.
As many as 12 people of varying ages are believed to have lived in the three-story, 9,111-square-foot house. The connection between them is unclear. The 84-year-old was the only person unaccounted for after the blaze.
The structure, which is perched precariously on a hillside, has been red-tagged by city officials, forcing firefighters to proceed with extreme caution as they search through tons of burned rubble.
On Friday, they worked with cadaver detection dogs to look for his remains. Early Saturday, crews ramped up the search with heavy equipment, including an excavator.
L.A. City Fire spokesman Brian Humphrey tells KPCC, "To stabilize the scene and prevent danger to the neighborhood, and also bring closure in recovering the man's remains and furthering the investigation into what caused this major emergency fire."
A 74-year-old woman also had to be rescued from the second floor of the home. She was taken to the hospital in fair condition.
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