On January 7, the number of people who lost their lives in the fires that have been ongoing for days in and around Los Angeles, USA, has risen to 25. The flames, which spread rapidly due to strong winds, have turned more than 37,000 acres of land to ashes so far. In the fire, where evacuation orders were issued for 150,000 people, more than 12,000 structures were also damaged. The total damage and economic loss caused by the ongoing fires is estimated to be between 250 billion and 275 billion dollars. MIRACLE OF THE UNBURNED HOUSEMiracles are also happening in the disaster area. While Malibu beach turned to ashes, a villa built in 2000 survived the fire unscathed, drawing attention. MINIBUS THAT SURVIVED THE DISASTER UNHARMEDFollowing the unburned structure, a minibus that escaped the flames unscathed is now in the spotlight. The minibus, reported to be a 1977 model, stood out with its intact appearance in the area turned to ashes. It was noted that even the tires of the minibus were not melted. Preston Martin, regarding the unscathed survival of his minibus from the fire, said, "There is something magical about this minibus." DRINKING WATER DANGER IN THE AREAMeanwhile, experts warned that toxic chemicals from the fires could contaminate drinking water, and that filtration and boiling methods might not be effective. Andrew Whelton from Purdue University stated that the presence of fires in urban areas leads to "severe" damage to infrastructure, noting that if the systems related to drinking water are damaged, "ash, smoke, soot, other residues, and gases" could enter the water supply. MAY BE TOXIC
Whelton pointed out that synthetics designed chemically in building materials release particles and gases after burning, emphasizing that these elements could be particularly "toxic."
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