The Eaton fire affected the Altadena area, where Anthony Mitchell, aged 67, and his son Justin resided, as confirmed by Mitchell’s family.
Anthony, an amputee, relied on a wheelchair, while Justin, in his early 20s, had cerebral palsy and was bedridden.
Jordan, another of Anthony’s sons, also lived with them but was hospitalized due to an ear infection, as reported by the BBC.
Anthony’s daughter, Hajime White, shared with The Washington Post that they “didn’t make it out.”
She recounted a call from her father on the morning of January 8, expressing concern about the impending danger.
“He said, ‘Baby, I’m just letting you know the fire’s broken out, and we’re going to have to evacuate’,” she recalled. “Then he said, ‘I’ve gotta go—the fire’s in the yard’.”
White explained that Anthony and Justin were waiting for an ambulance due to the absence of caregivers, and revealed that her father was found dead beside Justin’s bed, as reported by the AP.
“It’s like a ton of bricks just fell on me,” she expressed, noting that Anthony had four children, 11 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
“He had nicknames for everybody: Strawberry Shortcake, Marshmallow, Bug. He just went on and on,” she added.
The Palisades Fire has been marked by authorities as particularly destructive, with Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley providing an update to the media on January 9.
“It is safe to say that the Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” she stated.
“I want to be very clear here. … We are still under red-flag warning with extreme fire-behavior possibilities.”
In another development, authorities suspect arson as the cause of the Kenneth fire, with a man being arrested by the LA police on suspicion of starting the fire.
To support those impacted by the fires, donations can be made to the Red Cross online, by calling (800) 733-2767, or by texting REDCROSS to 90999.