Van Nuys converted garage catches fire; man killed

VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One person was killed after a fire broke out in a detached garage that was converted into a home in Van Nuys early Sunday morning.

Firefighters said the blaze was reported around 4:45 a.m. in the 14000 block of Victory Boulevard.

A man in his 50s was found dead inside the bedroom, which is where firefighters say the blaze originated from. The man was the sole occupant of the residence.

Witnesses say a passerby stopped his vehicle and woke up the residents in the main house on the property. Neighbors and bystanders grabbed garden hoses, trying to put the fire out.

Fire officials said one neighbor even tried to rescue the victim, but the flames were just too fierce. That neighbor was transported to an area hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns to his arms.

The fire spread to an R.V. on the property. Two occupants inside the vehicle were able to escape, but the R.V. was a total loss.

Firefighters made quick work of the fire, which was extinguished in about 13 minutes.

According to firefighters, the converted garage did have a smoke alarm, but it was unclear if it was functioning. The garage was not equipped with fire sprinklers.

The identity of the deceased man was not immediately released. The cause of the fire was under investigation.