Firefighters arrived quickly to discover smoke showing from a 50 x 80 foot two-story apartments over commercial building, with the first floor converted to a church.
The fast moving fire in an enclosed stairwell and hallway that led to the building's eight upstairs apartments was swiftly extinguished, but not before a 54 year-old male resident sustained injury or sudden illness in an attempt to escape the smoky fire. He was taken by LAFD Ambulance to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in critical condition.
Five other persons, including three adults and two children were assisted from the smoke-charged structure by firefighters. Later examined by LAFD Paramedics, they declined treatment or transportation. Responders were quick to credit properly functioning smoke alarms as giving these residents a head start on escaping the fire with minimal or no injury.
Though the building was not equipped with residential fire sprinklers, the rapid notification and response of firefighters prevented flames from moving beyond the stairwell and hallway. As such, the apartment units remained tenable after the fire for those who were uninjured.
While there was no immediate evidence of fire damage to the first floor tenant "New Life Christian Church", protocol dictated that the House of Worship Arson Task Force be notified.
Monetary loss from the fire is still being tabulated. The cause of this early morning blaze is considered suspicious and remains under active investigation.
Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
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