Aside from sharing what the sister of a deceased Eaton fire victim said about her brother’s death, reports have disclosed the occurrence of other fatalities and the current situation of the California wildfires.
On January 9, 2025, KTLA 5 reported on the death of a 66-year-old man named Victor Shaw, who was identified on Wednesday morning (January 8) as one of the five victims claimed by the Eaton Fire. Tragically, Victor’s family found him lying on the side of the road by their home, with a garden hose in his hand.
The fire victim’s loved ones also confirmed that Victor lost his life attempting to defend their home against the flames.
Adding another layer of sorrow is the fact that Victor’s sister, Shari Shaw, who he had been living with, had tried to get her brother to evacuate with her on the evening of January 7, as the fire got closer to their location.
Reportedly, Victor, whose loved ones say he had health issues impacting his mobility, had told Shari he wanted to stay behind to try to combat the fire when she was running out the door.
Providing a first-person account of the moment to the news outlet, Shari divulged, “When I went back in and yelled out his name, he didn’t reply back, and I had to get out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm – I had to save myself. And I looked behind me, and the house was starting to go up in flames, and I had to leave.”Al Tanner, a family friend, said they found Victor’s charred body the following morning. According to Al, “It looks like he was trying to save the home that his parents had for almost 55 years
Expressing her devastation to KTLA 5, Shari said she “fell to the ground” upon learning of her brother’s death, and noted how she was even unable to look at him. “They just told me that he was lying on the ground and that he looked serene, as if he was at peace,” added the bereaved sister.
Victor’s body was still left on his family’s property in the 3000 block of Montrose Avenue on Wednesday evening due to unsafe conditions prohibiting the coroner’s office from retrieving him.
The cause of the 10,600-acre Eaton Fire that claimed Victor’s life has remained under investigation since Thursday morning (January 9), and is one of many active and large wildfires to erupt in the Los Angeles area.
According to KTLA 5, the Palisades Fire is the largest of the lot, spanning a whopping 17,234 acres and having destroyed approximately 1,000 structures
Meanwhile, the 855-acre Hurst Fire ravaged the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sylmar, while the Lidia Fire damaged at least 348 acres in the Antelope Valley, forcing evacuations as well.
Outside of the aforementioned four, another fire called the Sunset Fire (43 acres) forced rapid evacuations in the Hollywood Hills. However, first responders have managed to make progress concerning relief and rescue efforts for this fire.next page…
