A young family remains terrified after two arsonists set their South Los Angeles home on fire, sparking a fiery explosion in the middle of the night.
On October 30, surveillance video captured two black subjects approaching the home in the West Adams neighborhood around 3 a.m.
The homeowner, Robert, was asleep while his wife took care of their 9-month-old child.
The suspects arrived at the home carrying two large buckets filled with gasoline and possibly other flammable liquids. They also had rolls of toilet paper for a fuse and an unknown ignition source.
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Surveillance cameras from a neighbor captured grainy footage of the two arsonists running away after setting fire to a house in the West Adams neighborhood of South Los Angeles in the middle of the night on October 30, 2025. -
The homeowner, Robert, said he and his wife were concerned about the safety of the home they had just moved into with their 9-month-old child less than two months ago. (blocks) -
The homeowner, Robert, said he and his wife were concerned about the safety of the home they had just moved into with their 9-month-old child less than two months ago. (blocks)
The suspects started the fire and were seen quickly running away from the sudden explosion of fire. Robert said he woke up after hearing his wife calling for help.
“I woke up to her screaming, ‘Call 911! There’s a fire!'” Robert told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe. “When I turned the front corner, where that door used to be, it was completely engulfed in flames.”
Robert said he grabbed a fire extinguisher to spray the burning door, then ran outside and grabbed a garden hose to continue putting out the flames. They managed to escape without causing injuries.
He and his wife are first-time homeowners and moved into the West Adams home less than two months ago. They are still in shock and said they have no idea why someone would target their family.
“We have no bad blood, and no connection to anyone we can think of,” he said. “We reached out to the previous owners to see if they had any experiences like this in the past or any tenants who had issues while they were renting it before they bought it. Now we’re just grasping at straws.”
The couple is currently staying with family, and said the incident made them afraid to return home. Robert did not want to reveal his full name for safety reasons.
“I keep hearing my wife screaming and I feel chills,” he said. “We have no plans to leave, but it is hard to imagine having our son sleep here in the future and feeling safe and confident doing so.”
The incident is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Arson Unit.
Anyone with information about the case or surveillance footage of the suspects is asked to call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247 or LAFD at 213-485-6095.