Early Thursday morning, the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Fire Department began an investigation at 1:49 a.m. in the Willowbrook area of South Los Angeles, near Imperial Highway and Success Avenue off the 105 Freeway. The inquiry followed a reported fire adjacent to a gas‑station site.
Firefighters responded to the blaze, employing smoke and fire‑retardant agents as part of their suppression efforts. While examining the scene, crews located human remains inside a storm drain at the location of the fire.
The discovery prompted the agencies to secure the area for further investigation.