SAN DIMAS — A man died following a house fire Tuesday, officials said.
The fire was first reported about 4 p.m. at a duplex in the 900 block of Bidwell Road, Los Angeles County Fire Department Battalion Chief Bob Ryan said.
When firefighters arrived, they found a man of about 60 years old who was already outside of the burning home, but collapsed in full cardiac arrest, Ryan said.
It was not clear if the man suffered smoke inhalation or other injuries in the fire, or suffered some sort of medical problem.
He was rushed to a hospital, where officials pronounced him dead a short time later, Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatch supervisor Melanie Flores said.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
About 50 firefighters extinguished the flames in about 15 minutes.
Neighbor Gavi Loor, 46, said she first noticed some bushes were on fire in front of the duplex and tried to put out the flames with a garden hose. She soon realized that the flames had spread to the home.
Neighbor Ashly Delgado, 21, said she saw the man exit his home with his pet parrot safely. He walked across the street, then collapsed.
The man appeared to stop breathing immediately, Delgado said.
Both neighbors said the man had lived on the street for more than 15 years, and he would often help neighbors with yard work or give them rides.
They had not yet received word of his death.
“He’s awesome. He’s a great guy,” Delgado said.