Whittier home destroyed in fire
WHITTIER -- A couple were left homeless Thursday night after a fire that started in the kitchen destroyed the home they were renting.
Whittier police Sgt. Dominic Iraldo said damages were estimated at $250,000 to the structure and $75,000 to the contents. He said no one was injured.
The fire was reported just after 11 p.m. in the 5300 block of Carley Avenue. He said arriving officers saw the fire rapidly spreading throughout the residence.
The fire began in the kitchen while one of the residents was cooking Thursday night.
"She turned away from the stove approximately two minutes. When she returned, the stove was ablaze," he said.
The woman thinks the cooking grease caught fire, according to Iraldo.
She also told police she saw an oven mitt hanging above the stove catch fire then fall onto the stove.
"When she realized there was a grease fire she put water on it. (She said) she put it out," Officer Hugo Figueroa said.
Figueroa said the woman and her boyfriend walked out of the house because the kitchen was full of smoke. But when they were outside, he said the couple realized the fire hadn't been extinguished.
Los Angeles County firefighters knocked down the blaze at 11:31 p.m.
Police said the Red Cross was helping the residents find shelter.
- Ruby Gonzales
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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