Updated: Cabin Burns to the Ground in Millard Canyon

A cabin in Millard Canyon burned to the ground Tuesday night leaving nothing but a chimney standing.

Dave Couch, a witness at the scene who was visiting friends at a nearby cabin, said he arrived that night and the cabin had already burned, with hot ash and embers all that was left.  Nearby trees had been singed but no brush fire had started, he told Patch in an email.

Bonny Schumaker, who owns a nearby cabin, said she had asked Couch to check on her cabin and he came by and found the cabin burned down - nobody had seen smoke or any other evidence of it.  She said he was surprised to realize he was the first witness there.

Schumaker noted that it was damp and rainy up in Millard Canyon Tuesday night, which likely helped keep the fire from spreading.  She described the cabin as "quaint, with with hardwood floors and stone fireplace."

On Wednesday morning there were Forest Service fire trucks and SoCal Edison trucks on scene, according to Altadena Patch reader Barbara Ellis, who sent in the photos on right.

County Fire Department Inspector Quovondo Johnson said the department got called to the scene at 11:14 Tuesday night, but did not have much information about the fire as it was on Forest Service land. He said the records indicate that the fire had already burned out when the department arrived.

Representatives of the Forest Service had not returned calls about the fire by the time of publication of this article.

Updated 2:30: Millard Canyon Campground host Lonnie Fehr said contractors were working on the cabin this week - it was undergoing renovation. 

Updated 2:55 p.m: Nathan Judy, of the U.S. Forest Service, said the County Fire Department will investigate the cause of the fire - structure fires, even if in the Forest Service area, are under the jurisdiction of County Fire, he said.

Updated 3:45 p.m: Inspector Brian Riley of the County Fire Department said investigators have ruled out arson and said the cause of the fire is being classified as "accidental."