Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a Tujunga house where a man was found dead and another man reported to be his son was taken into custody.
Firefighters sent to the 10200 block of North Silverton Avenue at 11:53 a.m. Monday found smoke showing from the windows of the two-story hillside home, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
"Crews found the fire burning on the lower floor -- sub-1 -- and extending up to the floor above," an LAFD statement said.
"The first 34 arriving firefighters accessed, confined and extinguished the flames in 23 minutes," the LAFD said. "One patient sustained smoke inhalation, whom Firefighter-Paramedics treated and transported. Tragically, firefighters located one man at the property who was deceased. The fatality on scene initiated responses from LAFD Arson Investigators, LAPD Officers/Investigators, and the Medical Examiner."
Information was not available on the dead man's identity or cause of death. Police detained the other man, who was reported to be the dead man's son.
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According to ABC7, investigators said it appeared that the victim, who was found in the backyard, had been bludgeoned, and what appears to be an empty shallow grave was also found in the backyard.
Witnesses said they believe the man's adult son set the fire and that he appeared to be under the influence or was having a mental episode. Police found him naked in the backyard as he was acting erratically and speaking unintelligibly, LAPD Lt. Guy Golan told ABC7.
The son's name was not released by police. Video showed the man in handcuffs and being led away by officers.
Witnesses said the victim's son was on the front porch and screaming incoherently before he went back inside the burning home. Neighbors said the incident stemmed from a dispute between the father and son.
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