Following a devastating house explosion and subsequent fire earlier this week in Monrovia, authorities made a grisly discovery. A body was found Thursday evening in a shed near the site of a previously engulfed residence, as reported by CBS News Los Angeles. The home, severely damaged by the fire, is located in the 600 block of East Colorado Boulevard. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner is currently conducting an investigation to determine the identity of the deceased as well as the cause of death.
"The shed was not involved in the fire," confirmed a news release from the Monrovia Police Department, as was mentioned in an ABC7 report. Despite initial searches not discovering any casualties directly after the fire, it is reported that one tenant was unaccounted for. This fire, occurring around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, was intense enough to initially threaten the spread to a neighboring house. Residents were startled by the fire's noisy inception, with one recounting to CBS News Los Angeles: "It was just a huge boom," and "I mean it shook the building," said Sherrie Vollaire.
Following the incident, the Verdugo Fire Communications Center was quick to dispatch aid as Sky5 aerial footage captured the destruction, featuring tall flames that spoke in no uncertain terms about the fire's ferocity. The nearby residents, as per Hoodline, were seen desperately trying to protect their properties with whatever means were to hand, including buckets of water. Arson investigators have since been sifting through debris and evidence to elucidate the fire's cause but have stopped short of connecting it to the body found days later. However, as details remain few, this fatal incident remains shrouded in more questions than answers.
As it stands, the Monrovia community has been jolted into a collective standstill. Neighbors like Tim Price told Hoodline: "It was instant flames. It just blew out all the windows," capturing the instantaneous nature of the catastrophe. As of now, the arson investigation continues with a dual aim to not only uncover the origin of the fire but also to unfold any potential ties the deceased might have to the tragedy. According to KTLA, the shed where the body was discovered did not appear to be affected by Tuesday’s fire, adding yet another perplexing layer to this case. Authorities have asked anyone with information to come forward as they work to piece together the events that led up to and followed the fatal fire.
