LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) — Soot and ash cover the floors of a boarded-up home in Long Beach after a fire erupted Monday night, displacing two adults and one dog.
“I first saw a large cloud of smoke. I was down the street and I came by, and then I started hearing loud pops, like explosions,” said Long Beach resident Michael Duran.
The Long Beach Fire Department said the blaze intensified when a propane tank inside the structure exploded, causing the fire to spread quickly.
“I really commend the Long Beach Fire Department because they were just on it. They put it out fast. They saved these two homes. Look how close this home is to these two houses,” Duran said.
The Long Beach Police Department has arrested a 45-year-old resident on suspicion of arson.
Several neighbors said the home has been a concern for the past year. They say several unhoused individuals have been living in the building, and this is the third time the house has caught on fire.
“I spoke to some residents down the street; they say this is the third time a fire has happened here. I’m not sure what they were doing, but there was a homeless encampment. They were telling me a lot of people break in,” Duran said.
Shopping carts, bicycles and trash can be seen throughout the rubble. One neighbor who didn’t want to show her face says the police have come to the property multiple times, but the next day the individuals return.
“I mean, it always smells like they’re having a bonfire back there. It smells like it’s burning. I mean, this could catch on fire anytime. I’m not surprised,” said the neighbor.
The Long Beach Fire Department said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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