Santa Monica house fire kills couple married 73 years

A house fire in Santa Monica, California, claimed the lives of Helen and Anthony Spaulding, a couple married for 73 years. The victims, both aged 92, were found inside their multimillion-dollar residence on the 500 block of Lincoln Boulevard early Sunday morning.

Firefighters responded to the scene around 2:54 a.m. and extracted both individuals almost simultaneously. Despite providing advanced life support, emergency crews were unable to revive them. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Helen’s death an accident caused by thermal burns and smoke inhalation, while the exact manner of Anthony’s death remains under investigation.

The couple was well-known in the community; Anthony was a former attorney and Helen worked at a local church. Their son, Bruce Spaulding, shared a tribute to their long marriage on social media. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, and police have not ruled out foul play.