California police rushed to the scene of a domestic violence call on Christmas Eve and watched as the home where the incident occurred erupted into flames.
The victim and her other family members fled the Hermosa Beach home at about 3:30 p.m. after the suspect threatened her. The first 911 call reported a loud argument and a man with a gun.
“The male then barricaded himself inside the residence and refused any contact with police,” Hermosa Beach police said in a statement.
About an hour after officers’ arrival, the garage of the home burst into flames and quickly spread to the rest of the house. Firefighters were called to battle the blaze.
At one point, police reported hearing explosions that could have been gunshots, but no officers reported being targeted. Several immediate neighbors were evacuated as a precaution.
At about 9:30 p.m., police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies entered the home and found the man dead in the garage.
No one else was found in the home, but a pet dog was rescued and reunited with the family.
The man’s name has not been released. The county coroner will determine cause of death, and firefighters are working to determine how the fire started.
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[Featured image: KTLA screenshot]
