Elderly couple in San Fernando Valley area house fire dies

SUN VALLEY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An elderly couple has died after a fire that injured two others, including a firefighter, in a remote canyon home in the Verdugo Mountains of the northeast San Fernando Valley.

The fire was reported around 8 p.m. in the 9100 block of La Tuna Canyon Road Saturday night. Los Angeles Fire Department officials said it was initially reported as a brush fire, but firefighters responding to the scene found out it was a single-story home engulfed in flames.

According to the LAFD, the blaze erupted in the attic and spread to the rest of the home. It took more than 60 firefighters about a half an hour to knock the blaze down.

A man and woman in their 90s were found unresponsive inside the burning home. Two teams of firefighters and paramedics worked to revive the pair and were able to restore their pulses, breathing and blood pressure, however, the two later died while in the hospital, officials announced Sunday.

Neighbors said they saw the smoke in the evening and immediately called 911. Some even tried to get into the home to help the elderly couple, but the conditions inside were too intense.

Another woman related to the couple was in serious condition Sunday after suffering burns to her left hand and "significant" smoke exposure.

Neighbors said the couple had lived at the home for the last 40 years. Their son and daughter-in-law live in a home and there is a guest house occupied by a tenant on the property.

A firefighter was also taken to a hospital to be evaluated after the department said he appeared to show the effects of "extreme exertion." He was later released.

Fire officials were still working to estimate the cost of the loss and added that due to severe fire damage, the presence of smoke alarms could not be immediately determined.

The cause of the fire was unknown and under investigation.