72-year-old handicapped man found dead after house fire in Eagle Rock, LAFD says

EAGLE ROCK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Firefighters discovered a 72-year-old man dead while battling a fire Sunday at a single-story home in Eagle Rock, authorities said.

The 45 firefighters dispatched at 11:27 a.m. to the 5200 block of N. Townsend Avenue had the flames out within 31 minutes of their arrival, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

"Preliminary reports stated a possible trapped person inside the structure," LAFD's Jennifer Middleton said. "Unfortunately, firefighters did find an occupant who had perished and was unable to be revived."

That person has not been identified but LAFD said the fire victim was handicapped, which could have hindered him being able to evacuate. The agency said the man was the only person inside the home at the time of the fire.

"Firefighters were met with excessive storage in the dwelling, which hampered entry to the dwelling as well as reaching the room of origin," Middleton added.

No other injuries were reported. Fire crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby homes.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

City News Service Inc. contributed to this report.