Families Forced Out in Townhome Complex Fire

Several families were forced to vacate a townhome complex in the 5600 block of Las Virgenes Road after a fire broke out Wednesday in one of the residences, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

The afternoon fire was sparked by a stove that was left on in one of the units, said Inspector Quvondo Johnson of the Fire Department.

The residence was occupied by Debra Silpos, said Sgt. Mark Bock of the . Silpos could not be reached for comment.

The blaze burned through a wall and ceiling in Silpos' unit, Johnson said. The home reportedly was severely damaged. A neighboring unit also sustained fire damage and several others sustained smoke damage, Johnson said.

Occupants of five townhomes had to move out temporarily while repairs are being made, said Dee Smith, director of Fidelity Management Services, which serves as the townhome complex's property manager.

On Thursday, Tarren Cox was moving clothes out of his father's unit, which is right next to Silpos'. He said he plans on living with his mother for now and that his father's insurance company would pay for the damages to his unit.

"We got smoke damage so bad that we might as well have got the fire, 'cause all of our furniture is pretty much ruined at this point," Cox said.