Police killer 'burnt to death' in siege house

A man who allegedly shot and killed a police officer was apparently burnt to death on Friday after the house he had barricaded himself inside erupted in flames.

James Beck was presumed to have died at the house in Santa Clarita, California, where he had holed up and was exchanging gunfire with officers.

Mr Beck had barricaded himself in the property after shooting dead a sheriff's deputy, Jake Kuredjian, 40. The deputy was shot while trying to arrest Mr Beck on charges of impersonating a federal officer.

Officers fired tear gas canisters into the house shortly before the fire broke out, but it is not known what started the fire.

Once flames started pouring from the house, officers would at first not allow firefighters to approach to douse the flames because of safety concerns. After about 15 minutes, firefighters used water cannon from trucks on a street behind the house to shoot water from a distance.

Agents from the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, along with Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, were attempting to arrest Mr Beck at around 8.45am when he opened fire on them with an automatic weapon.