Body discovered in wake of Sand fire in Santa Clarita

SANTA CLARITA >> Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose charred body was discovered near a home scorched by the raging Sand fire in Santa Clarita, which had consumed more than 20,000 acres and an unknown number of structures late Saturday, authorities said.

The body was discovered about 7:20 p.m. in the 26700 block of Iron Canyon Road, according to Deputy Lisa Jansen of the Los Angeles County sheriff’s Information Bureau.

The victim, described only as a man, was pronounced dead at the scene, Jansen said in a written statement. The body was discovered outside a home on Iron Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, and detectives are trying to determine whether the person was killed by the blaze or another cause, sheriff’s Lt. Rob Hahnlein said.

The Sand fire ignited Friday afteoon near the 14 Freeway and Sand Canyon Road, according to the U.S. Forest Service, which was working to battle the flames in unified command with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

An estimated 1,500 homes and 100 commercial structures remained threatened by the fire late Saturday, with tens of thousands more potentially in harms way, depending on the fire’s behavior in the coming hours and days.

Hundreds of homes remained under evacuation orders.

Officials initially established an evacuation center at Golden Valley High School, but moved it to Hart High School, 24825 Newhall Ave., Saturday night, sheriff’s officials said.

“We are aware that there are structures that have been destroyed or damaged in the Bear Divide and Sand Canyon areas; however, we caot confirm any particular properties,” U.S. Forest Service officials said in a written statement. “Damage Assessment Teams are in the area, and we will release that information when it becomes available.”

More than 900 firefighters were fighting the Sand fire, using 70 engines, 36 hand crews, 5 bulldozers and 9 helicopters, according to the USFS. It was 10 percent contained.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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