Chatsworth Fire Destroys 4 Homes; Injures 3 Firefighters

CHATSWORTH, CA — A stubborn fire destroyed four condominium units and injured three firefighters Tuesday in Chatsworth.

Driven by heavy winds, the blaze caused extensive damage, leaving several families homeless on the Fourth of July holiday.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire started just before 5 p.m. inside a two-story condo at 22166 James Alan Circle. Driven by the wind, the blaze quickly spread to three nearby condominiums through a common attic, LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

In addition to flames shooting into the air, firefighters were dealing with wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour whipping the flames between the buildings, according to fire Capt. Erik Scott.

It took crews around 81 minutes to put the fire out, Humphrey added. The department dispatched 122 firefighters and one helicopter to the scene, Humphrey said.

Three firefighters were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

One person was also evaluated for possible smoke inhalation. The Red Cross was assisting four families who were displaced by the fire with temporary shelter, Humphrey said.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, attributed to installation of a propane tank or barbecue equipment for use on a condo patio.

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of Greg Doyle.