Two pet dogs were killed when a fire broke out at a vacant home and then spread to a neighboring home in the Larchmont area of Los Angeles over the weekend.
The incident happened Sunday afternoon on St. Andrews Place, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. It took more than 100 firefighters about an hour to get the fire under control.
The occupied home that burned belonged to the Galicia family, who say they’ve lived there since 2008. They’re now grieving the loss of their home and two dogs who did not survive.
Crews searched the vacant structure where the flames started but found no people inside. However, the Galicia family says they’ve been warning authorities for more than a year about people breaking into the empty home, saying they would often see people inside smoking.
Jonathan Galicia says he contacted the Los Angeles Police Department about homeless people who they say were breaking into the vacant property.
“They did nothing. I spoke to LAPD to kick them out and they did nothing and now my house burned and my dogs are dead. I just wish they would’ve listened because I called and I called and they didn’t answer,” he said.
Neighbors also say a large homeless encampment just a block away has been growing for months with tents, furniture and illegal activity.
Arson investigators were called to the scene as authorities tried to determine the cause of the fire. No people were injured.
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