The death toll from the Los Angeles wildfires has risen to 24, with at least 16 still missing, tragic reports have revealed. update Sunday evening, from the Los Angeles County Coroner.
The majority of the victims (16) died in the Eaton Fire, and eight died in the Palisades Fire (the two major fires that hit the county). The new death toll makes the Eaton Fire the fifth deadliest wildfire in California history.
Only two of the victims, Charles Mortimer, 84, and Victor Shaw, 66, have been identified in the latest information. The coroner said Mortimer died at a hospital of smoke inhalation and burns, and Shaw died of the same causes outside his home in Altadena.
Shaw's burnt remains were found with a garden hose still in his hand, which his family said was left behind to protect the home he had lived in for 55 years.
At least seven other people have so far been identified by public and local authorities.
Many of the victims lived just blocks away from each other in the same historically black, working-class neighborhood of Altadena.
According to the coroner, 16 of the victims died in Altadena, four died in Malibu, one died in Pacific Palisades, one died in the Palisades, one died in Topanga, and one died in the hospital without specifying the location of the outbreak. died in
Many people remain missing, and the death toll is expected to rise further.
More than a dozen of the missing people are from the Eaton fire zone, and the remaining four are from the Palisades area. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said there were no children among the missing.
Officials expect the number of missing people to rise further as new infections continue to be reported by family members.
Investigators are continuing to look to see if any of the missing persons match the deceased.
About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders Sunday, with more than 700 residents evacuated to nine shelters, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
By Sunday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth, and Hearst fires had burned more than 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco.
The Palisades Fire had 11% containment and the Eaton Fire had 27% containment. These two infernos alone destroyed 59 square miles. Hearst and Kenneth destroyed only three aircraft.
Nine other states and Mexico sent additional firefighters to help extinguish the fire and assist with ongoing efforts, including the rescue of missing and dead people. In total, more than 14,000 personnel are on the ground battling four wildfires.
with post wire
