Deadly Compton-area fire appears accidental, officials say
The deadly fire at an auto mechanic shop near Compton that killed a mother and her 12-year-old daughter appears to be accidental, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. John Corina said Monday.
He said it would be very difficult to re-create the site to determine exactly how the fire was sparked because a bulldozer used to help search for bodies had destroyed the scene.
Fire and sheriff’s officials have described the property as having “pack-rat-like conditions” with illegal structures and no business permits. The family was not legally permitted to live on the property, which was zoned for industrial use.
Los Angeles County building inspectors said they had been working with the owner of an auto mechanic shop to bring the building up to code when the deadly fire broke out.
The property had been cited twice for violating building and safety codes, according to Bob Spencer, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.
Spencer referred to a satellite image captured by Google Maps this year that shows two illegal structures and a recreational vehicle that Los Angeles County inspectors said violated building and safety codes. The Google satellite image, annotated by The Times, can be here.
Officials were unaware that the family -- including two parents, their four children and a grandson -- lived in a converted loft inside the auto mechanic shop. The building, located at 4319 S. Compton Blvd., was permitted for industrial use.
Two years ago, county inspectors issued several code violations to the property owner for visible junk, trash, disabled cars, miscellaneous, personal items, and household appliances littering the property.
The deadly fire broke out at about 2 a.m. Monday, killing two people identified by family members as Teresa Lopez, 42, and her 12-year-old daughter, Margarita. Several other family members escaped the fire or were nearby, but not in the burning building.
The fire had fully engulfed the roof by the time firefighters arrived at the building where rescue efforts were dangerous, with debris stacked more than 6 feet high, Los Angeles County fire inspector Scott Miller said.
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