Questions remain unanswered following a residential fire that destroyed a single-family home in Canyon Country on Saturday after a person reportedly set the house on fire, according to officials.
Numerous first responders among different agencies, including the Los Angeles County Fire Department and L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, filled the streets of a residential neighborhood on the 29100 block of Flowerpark Drive at approximately 1:06 p.m. in response to a structure fire.
The home was fully engulfed in flames once the first responding deputy arrived at the scene, said Sgt. Ryan Elsee, a spokesman with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at the scene of the incident Saturday. He added that deputies responded to a psychiatric medical emergency call.
First responders at the scene believe the man who allegedly set the home on fire may have lived at the residence, and his whereabouts could not yet be confirmed as of Monday.
During initial reports, it was believed the person who allegedly set the house on fire possibly could have jumped the fence and fled.
It is unknown if any arrests have been made in connection with the incident or if any fatalities have been reported, according to Gabriela Robles, a public information officer for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The incident is under active investigation by the LASD’s Arson and Explosives Detail, she added.
According to Brian Kight, public information officer for the L.A. County Fire Department, initial reports indicated the Sheriff’s Department responded to a “behavioral issues” call and firefighters worked inthe defensive mode and performed a “surround and drown” method to extinguish the fire.
Information on how the fire was started was not available at the time of this story’s publication and the SCV Sheriff’s Station deferred further comment to the LASD Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
Kight advised residents near the structure fire to keep windows shut due to possible toxins that burned inside the home. Many products of combustion could be toxic, he added. No injuries to firefighters or civilians were reported, he added.
Firefighters were at the scene of the incident for about 29 hours, according to the PulsePoint app.
