House Fire Killed Family Dog; Cause Is Unclear, LAFD Says

VENICE, CA — The cause of a house fire that killed a family dog named Togo and led to thousands of dollars in damage remains undetermined, Los Angeles Fire Department officials told Patch.

But LAFD arson Capt. Tim Halloran said there's no evidence someone started the fire from outside the house or threw anything into it, as neighbors have speculated.

"There’s no indication that the fire was started from the outside or that something was thrown in from the outside," Halloran said. "The fire started from inside the house, and we were unable to determine what happened."

The fire was reported April 21 at 3:37 a.m. in the 100 block of Clubhouse Avenue near Main Street, according to LAFD officials. The property loss was estimated at $100,000, and content loss at $25,000.

"The cause of the fire is undetermined, and the investigation is over unless there’s some other information that comes to light," LAFD arson Capt. Tim Halloran told Patch.

Initial reports suggested that someone may have started the fire from the alley area behind the house, but it's not clear if that happened at all, officials said. Arson investigators reviewed burn patterns and interviewed neighbors in the area but still don't know what caused the blaze, officials said.

"Electrical sources, natural gas, cooking, candles: There’s tons of different sources of fire from inside the house," Halloran said. But, he added: "There’s no definitive way to stay what started the fire. Unfortunately with this one, there’s not enough data to point us in one direction or another."

People in the neighborhood speculated without evidence that the fire was arson. They held a vigil May 2 in memory of Togo, the dog killed in the fire, and to seek solutions to stop fires in the area.

"On the night of April 21, 2021, Togo, a beloved family dog, became the latest victim of Venice’s continued degeneration when a transient threw an accelerant into his home, burning him alive," neighbors said on the website Togolighttheway.com. "In his short life, Togo returned the compassion shown to him as a rescue, acting as a heroic service dog and touching all those who crossed his path."

Multiple fires have broken out in the area near the boardwalk and alleys in Venice in the past several months, including a fire and explosion this week at an encampment on Ocean Front Walk, along with a shooting and missing teenager, who was found thanks to the help of local residents, police and media.

For months, residents have complained about the conditions and asked local leaders for help. They're frustrated by the ongoing fires and said Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents District 11, is not doing enough to stop the fires and violence in the area.

Bonin told ABC7 in a statement that there are initiatives coming to try and house homeless people, including another housing project at a former motel near Los Angeles International Airport. He's also pushing to add tiny home villages and interim housing.

"As we work to house people, we are also taking action to help minimize the fire risk in homeless encampments in Venice. Starting this week, LAFD West is adding resources exclusively to the Ocean Front Walk area in Venice to focus on proactively engaging with unhoused neighbors to prevent fire risks, as well as helping respond to emergencies."

Patch reached out to Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority for comment.

SEE MORE:

• Venice Bakery Damaged, Cash Box Stolen During Break-In
• Watch: Fire Breaks Out At Encampment On Venice Beach Boardwalk
• UPDATE: Missing Teen In Venice Found