Vacant Hollywood home burns down after string of fires allegedly caused by squatters

Fire destroys LA home taken over by squatters

A vacant Hollywood home was destroyed by a fire Thursday after squatters took over the building.

LOS ANGELES - A vacant Hollywood home burned down Thursday, one week after FOX 11 was first to report on homeless squatters taking over the building.

Thursday morning’s destructive blaze along the 1700 block of Wilton was the fourth fire at the location in about two weeks.

"It’s almost comical," said Jeanne Rice, a neighbor. "I’m kind of laughing a little bit, because it’s like a joke. We’ve been tortured over it."

Rice is one of several neighbors on Wilton who have complained to city officials for months about two vacant homes on the street taken over by squatters.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hollywood residents concerned over fires after squatters take over building

Nearby residents have reported public drug use, constant nudity, large fires, and a general disregard for laws.

"If there are abandoned buildings on the street, they can’t be lying there for like a year without being knocked down," said Carolita Blythe, another neighbor. "Because, people without homes are going to go into the buildings."

According to neighbors on Wilton, a building next to the abandoned homes is being used a residential hotel for the recently homeless.  

They claim some residents of the hotel have been kicked out and have been squatting at the nearby vacant homes.

"We can’t just be putting homeless people in a building just to pad our numbers and say they’re off the street," said Blythe.  "There has to be a legitimate program to deal with drug problems and mental illness."

When FOX 11 reported on the nuisance properties last week, a spokesperson from LA City Council District 13 Hugo Soto-Martinez’s office sent a statement saying they "were working urgently with the department of building and safety to declare this a nuisance property."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Homeless squatters taking over Hollywood homes

Neighbors say they're living in fear, worrying about the danger caused by several recent house fires allegedly caused by homeless squatters.

FOX 11 reached out to the LA Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) for comment Thursday, but so far hasn’t heard back. 

As a result, we tried asking a LADBS building inspector at the scene on Thursday if more could have been done to prevent the destructive fire.

"There’s always more to do," said the inspector. "There’s always less to do. I don’t know what to tell you. We’re doing what we can."

On Thursday, the LAPD used the vacant home on Wilton that didn’t for a SWAT training exercise.

Residents say they’re worried the surviving home could also be destroyed by the squatters, and cause damage to surrounding properties.

"I know this is happening all over the city," said Blythe. "There has to be a better solution."

A spokesperson from Council District 13 Hugo Soto-Martinez’s office sent FOX 11 a new statement Thursday about the recent fire.

"Yes — there was another fire at 1744 Wilton Place last night, which LAFD responded to swiftly," said the spokesperson.  "Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. Our team is on site this morning with first responders and the Department of Building and Safety, and demolition of the burned property is scheduled for today.  Currently, the city is only allowed to access private property during an immediate public safety emergency like an actively-burning fire.  As a city, we need to fix this broken system and speed up the process to declare dangerous properties a public nuisance — so we can act faster and keep our communities safe."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' office issued the following statement:

"Following the City's involvement, the site was red-tagged and has been demolished. We thank the LAFD for their continued efforts in keeping the community safe."