At least three people are dead, and two others are hospitalized following a house fire in Temple City Sunday, fire officials confirmed Sunday.
Firefighters with the Los Angeles County Fire Department were sent to the home in the 6000 block of Sultana Avenue at around 4:50 p.m. and were able to knock down the fire in 30 minutes.
But due to a “heavy heat” from the flames, three people died, the department said.
"Unfortunately they arrived to heavy smoke and fire showing from the front of the building," Fred Fielding with the LA County Fire Department said. "Immediately we went into rescue mode but we were unable to save those three."
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It's unclear when the fire started.
A neighbor said she ran out of her house when she heard screaming and whaling.
"I saw the whole house inside was full on fire -- fire coming out of the windows," said Jane Guzman De Leon, who called 911.
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Guzman De Leon said she saw two elderly men, who didn't speak English, came out of the house as one of them had blood on his forehead while the other had his skin peeling.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims.
Investigators were trying to determine what caused the fire and whether there were smoke detectors inside the home.
