LOS ANGELES _ Los Angeles arson investigators confirmed Monday that, although the cause of the Saddleridge fire remains undetermined, the blaze started Thursday beneath a high-voltage transmission tower.
The Saddleridge fire broke out in Sylmar on Thursday night and was fueled by Santa Ana winds, burning almost 8,000 acres, destroying 17 structures and damaging 58. A man in his late 50s died after suffering a heart attack while talking with firefighters early Friday, officials said.
The confirmation comes after Sylmar residents told news outlets and fire officials that they saw a fire burning at the base of the transmission tower near Saddle Ridge Road.
According to preliminary information from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire is believed to have started under a transmission tower near Yarnell Street and the 210 Freeway in Sylmar. The exact location wasn't immediately available.
