Alleged burglar arrested as firefighters extinguish blaze at Panorama City apartment

An alleged burglar was arrested after a brief standoff with police inside of a burning apartment building in Panorama City on Wednesday, something that police say was a complete coincidence as the two events were unconnected.

The fire was reported at around 2:50 p.m. in the 9000 block of N. Tobias Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews arrived to find flames inside one unit on the second floor of a three-story building. 

Shortly before firefighters arrived, Los Angeles Police Department officers were called to the same location after learning of a possible trespassing suspect for a situation that quickly turned into a barricade. 

At around 3:30 p.m., firefighters reported that they had extinguished all the flames. They were able to contain the damage to one unit, but there was such heavy smoke on the second floor that the adjacent unit will "likely" be "uninhabitable," firefighters noted. 

"There are no patients with any medical complaints," firefighters said. 

Despite initial belief that the burglar was somehow connected to the fire's ignition, LAPD investigators say that the suspect showed up at the victim's apartment, but he was not welcome, despite the two being acquaintances. 

While the victim attempted to resist the efforts of the suspect's entry into their apartment, food that was cooking on the stove caught fire. 

The suspect was still arrested for burglary, police said.