False “Miraculous Mosque” story denied in Los Angeles
An investigation carried out by Newschecker.in, an independent fact-checking platform based in India, reveals that a viral image (see photos below) circulating on social networks claiming to show a mosque miraculously spared from the Los Angeles fires is revealed to be misinformation. The factual investigation shows that this is actually a photo taken in Hawaii in August 2023, during the devastating fires in Lahaina, on the island of Maui.
The building in question is not a mosque but a century-old house with a red roof belonging to the Millikin couple. This historic residence, formerly used as accommodation for the accountants of a sugar plantation, actually survived the flames which ravaged its neighborhood.
The true history of this house is just as remarkable: purchased in 2021 by the Millikins, it underwent a meticulous renovation respecting its historic character. The owners, absent during the fires because they were traveling in Massachusetts, still have no definitive explanation as to why their home was able to withstand the flames, while the entire surrounding neighborhood was reduced to ashes.