Details of Victims Emerge as Los Angeles Wildfires Claim 10 Lives

At least 10 people have tragically lost their lives due to the wildfires that have been rampaging through Los Angeles County. Among the victims is Victor Shaw, a 66-year-old man who was found holding a garden hose while bravely trying to protect his family’s home, which they had lived in for over 50 years. 

Victor Shaw, who tragically lost his life in the devastating Eaton Fire near Pasadena, was determined to defend his home. His sister, Shari, shared that he had expressed his intention to remain behind on Tuesday night in an attempt to battle the encroaching flames. However, his body was discovered the following day on a roadside with the hose still in his hand. 

“They just told me that he was lying on the ground and that he looked serene, as if he was at peace,” Shari Shaw told KTLA. 

The wildfires currently active in Los Angeles County are the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, Kenneth Fire, Hurst Fire, and Lidia Fire. These fires have collectively ravaged over 30,000 acres, according to reports from Cal Fire. 

Two of the dead in Altadena were Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy. They were waiting for an ambulance to come and did not make it to safety when the flames roared through, Mitchell’s daughter, Hajime White, told The Washington Post. 

Entire blocks of homes are seen burned in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 9. (AP/Mark J. Terrill)

Rodney Nickerson, an 83-year-old grandfather, was also found dead in Altadena, according to CBS News. 

“We found his bones, his whole body was intact,” his daughter Kimiko said to the station, which reported that Nickerson was discovered in his bed among the rubble and ash. 

Another victim was identified by the New York Times as Erliene Kelley, a retired pharmacy technician who reportedly lived near Shaw and Nickerson. 

Nancy Belanger pours water on a neighbor’s fire-ravaged property in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 9. (AP/Jae C. Hong)

“She was an angel,” neighbor Terry Pyburn told the newspaper. “That’s the perfect neighbor. When you see her, you have a smile.” 

Fox News’ Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.