‘We don’t know half of it.’ L.A. firestorm death toll expected to rise as searchers go door to door
It is expected to take some time to determine the death toll from this week’s Los Angeles firestorms.
Officials confirmed 10 people died in the Eaton and Palisades fires, but Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna said that number is likely to rise.
“We do, unfortunately, anticipate that deaths will go up because of the destruction that we’re seeing,” Luna said. “We’re not able to get in there in a manner — because it’s still not safe — to really do a thorough search.”
With the Eaton fire bearing down on a Altadena home, a brother and sister had to decide what to do. One left the scene. The other stayed behind. What happened next was a family tragedy.
He said his deputies are still dealing with downed wires that are charged, leaking gas pipes, and ongoing fire that hinders searches. While Luna is now deferring to the L.A. Medical Examiner for the specific death toll, he said his agency will still be working to find and investigate deaths.
They have also requested additional search and rescue teams and cadaver dogs to aid in the effort. “I think we’re still trying to grasp ... how tragic this is. We don’t know half of it,” Luna said. “I’ve seen a lot of tragedy in my 40 years doing this job, but this one is — it’s gonna be up there.”
Briana Navarro confirmed the death of her 83-year-old grandmother, Erliene Kelley, whose fate was not known for days.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone echoed Luna’s somber outlook, noting that thorough searches have not been completed. Crews are going to have to “go from house to house to house,” Marrone said. “That might be upwards of 10,000 structures that need to be searched for human remains.”
The firestorms claimed 9,000 structures.
Currently, California’s deadliest fire in modern history was the 2018 Camp fire, which killed 85 people.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
