A massive, 525-pound adult male bear was hiding there following the deadly 14,000-acre blaze, and preventing utility workers from restoring the home’s power. During fires, animals fleeing the flames often wander into densely human-populated areas.

The bear was found in a crawl space under an Altadena home that had been evacuated during the Eaton fire, wildlife officials said.

A massive 525-pound bear turned an Altadena home's crawlspace into a temporary sanctuary, surprising the homeowner upon his return from fire evacuations. As CBS News reports, Samy Arbid discovered his unexpected guest when utility workers couldn't access his home's service points.

Samy Arbid had a surprise guest hiding out at his Altadena home when he finally returned to the neighborhood after the Eaton Fire. Nicole Comstock reports.

Wildlife officials rescued a 525-pound bear found hiding underneath a home that was evacuated during the Eaton Fire. When evacuations were lifted and the owner of the Altadena home returned, their utility company said power couldn’t be restored since a large bear was residing in the crawl space where workers needed to access.