West Adams Apartment Fire Injures Two and Displaces 14

WEST ADAMS - Quick actions by building staff and rescue efforts by LAFD limits injuries at apartment fire in a senior and disabled living facility.

On August 14, 2013 at 1:15 pm Los Angeles Firefighters were called to 2455 South St Andrews Place in the West Adams district. The LAFD arrived quickly to find black smoke billowing over an eight story apartment structure. Building security informed arriving fire companies of an active fire on the fifth floor.

Firefighters ascended quickly through a stairwell and encountered pressurized heavy black smoke in the fifth floor hallway. Hose lines were pulled from ground level through an adjacent unit to attack the fire. Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the fully involved unit. A swift evacuation of ambulatory residents and rescue of the disabled on the fifth floor was simultaneously performed. During the firefight, flames threatening balconies above the blaze were quickly addressed and the fire confined to the involved unit. Under the command of Battalion Chief Joseph Klein, 123 firefighters extinguished the blaze in just 46 minutes.

Initial concerns for the occupants of the residential apartments initiated the call for eight LAFD rescue ambulances. However, an established and practiced building evacuation plan limited injuries. Facility staff was conducting an orderly evacuation of residents living on the two floors above the fire upon arrival of the LAFD. During the firefight it was established the safest plan for residents living in the floors below the fire, was to shelter in place. Upon extinguishment of the blaze a systematic and coordinated evacuation of all residents was executed. Using the established list of disabled residents, firefighters rescued occupants requiring assistance.

Occupants were evacuated to a courtyard behind the building where staff accounted for all residents. Of the five occupants assessed by the LAFD, four were evaluated and did not require further care. One adult female was transported to an area hospital in serious condition. One firefighter sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported in fair condition. 

The unit consumed by fire and the nine other units with smoke damage were deemed uninhabitable, displacing 14 residents. The American Red Cross was called and assisted in relocation of the displaced residents. The cause of this blaze was determined to be accidental in nature. Dollar loss was estimated at $125,000 ( 100,000 structure and 25,000 contents)

Dispatched units: E26 RA826 E34 E15 T15 E215 SQ21 T29 RA29 EM11 BC11 BC18 E10 T26 E226 E294 T94 E46 DC1 EM13 BC13 T3 E203 E3 UR3 RA3 RA803 UR88 BC1 RA2 RA10 EM5 RA66 T66 E266 E229 E227 T27 BC5 E66 RA837 E94 E211 T11 AR1 EA1 RT59

Submitted by Katherine Main, Spokesperson
Los Angeles Fire Department

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