Investigation into North Hills vacant church fire continues, body found

An investigation at the site of a North Hills vacant church fire that erupted Tuesday evening and reignited the next day uncovered a body inside the charred building.

Crews fought the fire at the boarded-up church for nearly two hours on Tuesday before they were finally able to extinguish the massive flames that engulfed the building. The blaze was first reported at around 5:45 p.m. in the 15200 block of W. Parthenia Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. 

They said that the two-story commercial building, which is believed to be vacant and the former spot of a church, was showing heavy fire when they arrived. The flames were threatening the neighboring four-story apartments, prompting crews to work through each floor to evacuate residents. Firefighting efforts resumed Wednesday morning after flames and smoke were visible from the charred structure.

Cleanup of debris was underway on Thursday morning as heavy equipment cleared a portion of the destroyed structure so crews could complete their recovery investigation. Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said that during a preliminary investigation, a human remains detection K-9 unit made an identification. 

"It made a hit, which indicates that they found either bone tissue or blood and that could be a body, or blood from a cut hand," he said. By Thursday afternoon, fire investigators reported that a body had been found.

More than 100 firefighters were assigned to the blaze on Tuesday as crews attacked in defensive mode, meaning that they were battling the flames from above and outside due to the possible danger posed by the structural integrity, which eventually saw the roof of the building collapse. They determined the incident a Major Emergency as their battle continued. 

With SkyCal over the spot of the fire, massive plumes of black smoke could be seen extending into the sky. Flames could be reaching from the right side of the structure in the alleyway next to the apartment building while dozens of people looked on.   

At around 7:20 p.m., an updated LAFD release said that crews were "more effectively able to reach the deep-seated fire," and were making good progress on extinguishing the flames. They said that the fire was finally extinguished at around 7:40 p.m., nearly two hours after their firefight began.

They said that some windows of the apartment building were broken and that they were still assessing the damage to the part of the structure that was exposed to the fire. They said that three of the complex's 41 units were yellow-tagged, displacing six adults, 21 children and six pet turtles. 

One person, a 42-year-old woman, was treated at the scene for possible smoke inhalation before she was taken to the hospital in fair condition, firefighters said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by LAFD Arson investigators.

On Wednesday afternoon, LAFD officials said that "out of an abundance of caution," a team of human remains detection K9s was brought to search the debris of the structure.

"They showed interest in an area that could not be safely investigated by firefighters," the latest update from LAFD said. "An alert does not necessarily mean a body was located which is why visual confirmation is required."

They noted that the operation could last for several days, especially as crews were on hand to strategically demolish the structure so debris could be cleared.

Tatiana Guerrero is a good Samaritan who said she rushed into the burning building to help a woman yelling for help from the second floor.

"When I saw the building on fire, I saw a girl that was yelling for help," she said. "I tried to get as high as I could with her, I just grabbed her and I had to throw her down on the floor. The fire was literally in back of her."

Guerrero said that she then ran into her apartment building and pulled the fire alarm, alerting other residents so they could get out safely.

The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety has been called to assess the building's structural safety. If it is red-tagged, they said that LAFD Heavy Equipment operators will evaluate the building for possible demolition.

Other residents said that the place was inhabited by homeless people, despite being boarded up. Firefighters said it's a possibility they're investigating as to the cause of the fire.