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Historic Pico-Union homes damaged in fire

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1907 Craftsman was built by Immanuel Presbyterian Church architect Chauncey F. Skilling

A couple turn-of-the-century homes on Bonnie Brae Street ravaged by fire had been identified by the city's Office of Historic Resources as contributors of the Pico-Union Historic Preservation Overlay Zone.

The fire erupted Aug. 10 at 1232 Bonnie Brae Street and spread to 1238 Bonnie Brae and 1820 12th Place before it could be contained, displacing 41 people, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Investigators are still looking into the cause.

The houses were constructed in 1905 and 1907, respectively. The Foursquare-style Craftsman home at 1232 Bonnie Brae was designed by then-prominent architects Otto Neher and Chauncey F. Skilling. Skilling later went on to design the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, a Wilshire Boulevard landmark since 1928.

It’s not clear yet whether the two structures will be salvageable, given the extensive fire damage. Already, Building and Safety is investigating the possibility that the red, Tudor-style home at 1238 Bonnie Brae Street might be at risk of collapse. In the meantime, 41 people are sadly without a home. CBS News also reports that a dog was killed in the fire (though two others were fortunately saved).