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17 people displaced after fire burns three townhomes in El Monte

CBS News Live
CBS News Los Angeles Live

Three townhomes were damaged when a fire broke out on Sunday afternoon, leaving more than a dozen people with a place to stay. 

The fire broke out at around 12:20 p.m. at the complex of two-story buildings located in the 4000 block of Penn Mar Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 

Crews arrived to find two of the townhomes that were already "fully involved" with flames. It quickly spread to the third structure via the attic, they said. 

They had the fire extinguished by 12:50 p.m., but the damage dealt by the fire left 17 total people displaced, firefighters said. 

No injuries were reported and investigators are working to determine what sparked the blaze. 

Video from the scene shared on the Citizen App showed massive plumes of smoke escaping from the building, which could be seen throughout the surrounding area. 

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