TUJUNGA - The remains of an elderly man who lived alone among a massive collection of debris, were found Thursday; following a days-long search by Los Angeles Fire Department crews who had extinguished a fire there early Christmas Day.

A veteran fire investigator called it one of the worst - and most saddening cases of hoarding he had seen in his twenty-plus years on the job.

The fire was reported at 2:55 AM on Sunday, December 25, 2011, bringing 51 Los Angeles Firefighters to 7053 Sunnycrest Trail in Tujunga, to battle what was initially believed to be burning vegetation.

Firefighters fought their way through thick trees, piles of discards and seven abandoned autos filled floor-to-headliner with possessions, to assault intense flames that had entered the densely packed premises.

With nearly every bit of the 4,349 square-foot lot - and all but a few cubic feet of the one-story house and detached garage filled with combustible clutter, firefighters relentlessly assaulted the flames for 67 minutes before extinguishing the fire.

With a sole resident still unaccounted for, Los Angeles Firefighters began what would become a five-day ordeal, as they sifted through tons-upon-tons of smoldering debris in an attempt to find the missing man.

Dogs trained to search for cadavers were brought to the scene on two occasions, but offered little clue in the LAFD's relentless yet dignified search for the homeowner both near and within the house, which had been fashioned with makeshift tunnels to allow short and difficult passage.

Guided by clues from a friend detailing the man's daily behavior, Investigators from the LAFD's Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section were able to narrow the search, and on Thursday afternoon, discovered his remains just outside the home under nearly four feet of densely packed post-fire debris.

The precise cause, time and manner of the man's death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

No firefighter injuries were reported during the firefight, investigation or extended search for the man's remains. A monetary loss from the fire was not tabulated, and the cause of blaze - with origin outside the home, was not believed to be an intentional act, according to LAFD investigators.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department