The Latest: Fire department: LA blaze began under power line

By Associated Press 15 October 2019, 12:00AM

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on wildfires that hit Southern California (all times local):

4:40 p.m.

Fire officials say a destructive fire that broke out on the edge of Los Angeles began beneath a high-voltage transmission tower.

Capt. Erik Scott told The Associated Press on Monday that Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators have only determined the origin of the fire, not its cause.

The fire destroyed or damaged nearly three dozen homes. Officials say one man died of a heart attack in the fire that began in Sylmar and spread to Porter Ranch.

The location was at the base of power lines owned by Southern California Edison. The fire department had said Friday that they believed the fire started at that location.

SoCal Edison has not commented on the fire's source but says it reported to state regulators that its system was affected.

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9:40 a.m.

Firefighters are dousing remaining smoldering areas from a destructive wildfire that raged along the northern edge of Los Angeles last week.

The Los Angeles Fire Department says containment of the approximately 12-square-mile (31-square-kilometer) fire is at 43 percent Monday.

Updated assessments lowered the number of destroyed structures to 17 but increased the number damaged to 58.

The fire erupted Thursday night and was rapidly spread by Santa Ana winds. A man in the fire area went into cardiac arrest and died.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

To the east in Riverside County, a 1.5-square-mile (3.8-square-kilometer) fire that destroyed dozens of mobile homes and left two people dead last week is 94% contained.

That fire ignited when a trash truck driver dumped a burning load amid winds.

By Associated Press 15 October 2019, 12:00AM
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