Two bodies were found inside a garage after a fire in West Hills, officials said.
The fire broke out just after 10 a.m. in the block of 22000 Vanowen Street, said Margaret Stewart, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Information on the gender and age of the dead people was not immediately available. The bodies were so badly burned officials could not say how old they were.
Los Angeles Police Department homicide detectives were sent to the scene to investigate whether foul play was involved in the deaths, said LAPD Officer Ricardo Hernandez.
Witnesses were shocked.
James and Diana Lua saw the smoke and pulled over to try and help.
"I climbed through the side gate, grabbed the hose, and hosed it down," James Lua said.
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Fire officials said the incident marks their first two fire fatalities of 2016.
Fire officials said the tenant may not have had a working smoke alarm inside the garage.
Pascuale Longo said he used to live in that garage and suspects the fire may have started from some sort of hot plate the tenants were using because there is not a stove in the unit.
