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Body Found After North Hills Vacant-Building Fire as K-9 Alerts Prompted Dayslong Search

The discovery followed K-9 alerts that led crews to clear deep rubble with heavy equipment.

Fire crews use heavy machinery to clear the path following a structure fire in North Hills.
Firefighters work to extinguish a structure fire in North Hills on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
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Overview

  • LAFD confirmed a body was located inside the burned two-story structure on Parthenia Street, and the individual has not been identified.
  • The Jan. 13 blaze was declared a major emergency as more than 100 firefighters defended a neighboring four-story apartment building and knocked the fire down in under two hours.
  • Evacuations displaced 27 people—six adults and 21 children—and officials said three apartment units were yellow-tagged by the Department of Building and Safety.
  • Human-remains detection dogs had separately alerted to the same area in the debris, which directed a methodical, dayslong search using heavy machinery.
  • The building was a vacant former church with reported unhoused activity nearby, the cause remains under investigation by LAFD arson investigators, and Parthenia Street is closed between Columbus and Burnet during the operation.