Burglar Barricaded Himself Inside LA Home That Caught Fire During Hours-Long Standoff: Police

PACOIMA, CA — A burglary suspect who entered one Pacomia house Thursday morning before barricading himself in another home next door was arrested hours later after the home apparently caught fire.

Officers responded at 2:40 a.m. Thursday to reports of a burglary on the 13200 block of Pinney Street, north of Van Nuys Boulevard. When officers arrived, the man went into the second home and barricaded himself there, NBC Los Angeles reported.

The residents were home at the time of the incident but were able to safely escape, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

A SWAT team arrived to assist the officers at the scene, and after deploying tear gas around 7:45 a.m., the house appeared to catch fire as thick black smoke poured out of the windows, CBS Los Angeles reported.

Firefighters moved in under protection of officers and sprayed water onto flames visible inside the home.

The man was shirtless when an officer emerged with him in handcuffs just before 8 a.m. He was then placed into an ambulance.

City News Service contributed to this report.