Firefighters responded to a call placed at 2:51 p.m. on Sunday about a house fire on Oak Spring Canyon Road in Canyon Country.
Homeowner Sandra Bueno said she was in her living room with her three grandchildren when she smelled smoke.
“We saw smoke near one of the lights in the hall and smelled it, so we turned that off, but the smell was still there,” Bueno said. “We found out that the heater in the master bedroom was on fire and then that fell near the toilet so that caught on fire. Even after we put that out there was still a lot of smoke so we called the Fire Department.”
Fire engines arrived at the scene at 2:58 p.m. and set to work putting out the fire. According to Capt. Martin Maher of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the fire was contained within the master bathroom. However, firefighters had to remove part of the ceiling to extinguish some flames in the attic. He estimated the fire caused $10,000 in property damage.
The official cause of the fire is undetermined and still under investigation. However, Maher said there is a possibility that it was caused by an electrical malfunction.
“Fires like this are not uncommon, especially in older houses,” Maher said. “The best thing to do to avoid situations like this is to maintain electrical equipment and appliances, for example removing lint from drying machines. If you do get electrical work done, make sure that you only go through a licensed contractor because it’s often when people try to cut corners that problems arise.”
Bueno, her grandchildren and a pet turtle were unharmed by the fire, although Bueno said the Fire Department was coordinating with the Red Cross to find lodgings for the family tonight.
