Man suffers critical burns in apartment fire.

A Canyon Country man is in critical condition and being
treated at the Sherman Oaks
Burn Center after an apartment fire
caused 20 people to evacuate their homes.

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Sgt. Ronald Price said that the fire was reported at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Eight apartments were burned
in a complex in the 27000 block of Palo Verde Place,
near Jakes Way, with three
of the apartments completely destroyed.

Richard Leech, 57, was transported to Henry
Mayo Newhall Memorial
Hospital suffering from smoke
inhalation and burns over 40 percent of his body. He was later transferred to
the Grossman Burn
Center in Sherman Oaks where his condition was
reported to be critical.

The Red Cross assisted several victims with alternative
housing and Animal Control was called in to help with pets affected by the
fire. Sheriff’s Arson and Explosives detectives are investigating the fire’s
origin.

Two hours earlier, a fire was reported at the lumber yard at
Weyerhauser Building Materials off Via Princessa in Canyon Country.

Inspector Frank Guerido told KHTS that a fire was reported
on a train at the lumber yard at 8 p.m.
A single outbuilding and lumber pile at that location was destroyed, but no
injuries were reported. The incident is still under investigation.