Crime & Safety

Echo Park House Fire: More Details Emerge

According to a neighbor, the house may have been occupied by squatters.

 

The house fire that lit up Echo Park skies early Wednesday morning may have been started by squatters, says a neighbor.

Joshua Alas, who lives next door to 911 N. Bonnie Brae St., said the house had been empty for time, then occupied by possibly illegal residents. "They were real partiers," he told Patch."I wouldn't be surprised if they started it."

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Alas also confirmed that, in addition to the woman rescued by firefighters from inside the house on Wednesday, a man called Bave had jumped from the first floor into the yard.

"He lived in the space with the windows painted with the anarchy and peace signs," he said. "He didn't want to jump at first because he was naked."

Find out what's happening in Echo Park-Silver Lakewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

An appraiser was spotted Saturday at the property, who told us that the classic Craftsman home had recently been sold to someone who wanted to flip it. According to an LAFD spokesperson Katherine Maine, the fire was not being investigated as an arson.

Related:

Video: Echo Park House Fire

LAFD Battles House Fire Near Echo Park


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