Cooking Fire in Cal State College Dorm Burns 5 Women, 2 Critically

EL SERENO - Five young women suffered burns while cooking in a Cal State L.A. College dorm kitchen, located at at 5425 East Dobbs Street. Just after 8:00 PM, on November 2, 2012, three college students and two friends were cooking a large amount of fried food when the cooking oil caught fire and flashed, splattering the women, causing burns.

Los Angeles Firefighters arrived at the dorm, located in a large two-story apartment complex, to find the fire quickly burned itself out, leaving behind residual black smoke & soot around the stove, along with slight charring above it. 

After ensuring the scene was safe, firefighters began rapidly treating the most critical of the five burn victims, whom ranged from 18 to 24 years-old. The severity of burns range from slight 1st degree to significant 2nd degree burns covering 20% of the body.

Over 45 firefighters, under the command of Battalion Chief Al Ward, quickly handled the incident. Due to the number injured, LAFD Arson Investigators along with the Cal State Police Department are performing an investigation.

Dispatched Units: E16 RA1 E2 T2 E202 RA844 EM1 BC2 E12 T1 E201 RA1 RA804 RA25 EM11 AR1 RA844 RA4 RA25 EM1

The Los Angeles Fire Department realizes the kitchen is a frequent place for families and friends to spend time together, but remind that it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house, especially if you don't practice safe cooking behaviors.

Cooking equipment, most often a range or stove-top, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States.

Safe Cooking Tips

It's a recipe for serious injury or even death to wear loose clothing (especially hanging sleeves), walk away from a cooking pot on the stove, or leave items that can catch fire, such as potholders or paper towels, around the stove. Whether you are cooking the family holiday dinner or a snack for the children, practicing safe cooking behaviors will help keep you and your family safe.

 

Watch What You Heat
 

• The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you're cooking.
• Stay alert! To prevent cooking fires, you have to be alert. You won't be if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.

Keep Things That Can Catch Fire and Heat Sources Apart
 

• Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, or curtains - away from your stove-top.
• Keep the stove-top, burners, and oven clean.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby counter-tops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.
• Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire if it comes into contact with a gas flame or electric burner.

Prevent Scalds and Burns
 

• To prevent spills due to overturn of appliances containing hot food or liquids, use the back burner when possible and/or turn pot handles away from the stove's edge. All appliance cords need to be kept coiled and away from counter edges.
• Use oven mitts or potholders when moving hot food from ovens, microwave ovens, or stove-tops. Never use wet oven mitts or potholders as they can cause scald burns.
• Replace old or worn oven mitts.
• Treat a burn right away, putting it in cool water. Cool the burn for 3 to 5 minutes. If the burn is bigger than your fist or if you have any questions about how to treat it, seek medical attention right away.

Remember, cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, so please do so safely. 
(SAFETY VIDEO)

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Early Morning Fire Rips Commercial Property in El Sereno

EL SERENO - A large fire erupted at a commercial property in the early morning hours today and brought 180 Firefighters to the scene.

At 1:30 am on Friday, December 2, 2011, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a large "Outside Fire" at 5339 East Valley Boulevard near El Sereno. The property spanned nearly three blocks in length and hosted several businesses, all of which were in jeopardy of being exposed to the blaze. Among those structures, was an approximate 200' x 400' commercial building with a very significant fire load. First arriving Firefighters encountered downed power lines and a large volume of fire, then immediately requested additional resources for assistance.


At the center of this property was an open yard, where several tractor-trailers, most of which were holding highly combustible materials, were parked along with other heavy equipment. Together, these vehicles provided most of the fuel for this "Major Emergency" Incident. Firefighters did an outstanding job of preventing the blaze from spreading into any of the adjacent businesses on the property. One structure did sustain some fire damage, while the others were impacted only by the large quantities of water required to fully extinguish the blaze, which came in 1 hour and 58 minutes.

There were no injuries reported from the scene and despite the "High Wind Warnings" that were in effect at the time of the fire, the wind did not play a factor.

Damage estimates were not yet available and the cause of the fire is under active investigation.

Dispatched Units: E16 RA47 E201 T1 RA1 E202 E2 T2 EM2 BC2 E44 BC1 E12 T12 E212 E25 T9 SQ21 DC2 EM11 BC11 E203 T3 E3 UR27 RA27 RA827 UR88 BC5 DC1 T27 E227 E47 E210 T10 E4 E17 AR1 E9 E55 T50 E250 E211 T11 E42 E215 T15 E235 T35 E229 T29 BC13 BC18 BC14 EM9 EA1 E27 RT59 RA867 RA2 RA12 RA4 RA803 RA804 RA844 CM3 EM11 FC1 DT1

(photos / slideshow)

Submitted by Matt Spence, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Man Critically Injured When Explosion Rocks El Sereno Neighborhood

EL SERENO - A thunderous explosion rocked an El Sereno neighborhood awake early this morning, damaging a home and sending one man to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was dispatched at 2:08 AM on Saturday November 26, 2011 to 2990 Lowell Avenue, where they found a one-story home with broken window glass and scattered debris - but no active fire.


In searching the significantly damaged 1200 square-foot building for victims, firefighters quickly discovered a 29 year-old man who had sustained painful second- and third-degree burns to more than 35% of his body, including hands, arms, upper torso head and face.

As LAFD Paramedics commenced immediate care for the severely injured man, their colleagues discovered his wife and preteen daughter who had been in another part of the home, and were amazingly uninjured.

The badly burned man was taken by Fire Department ambulance to nearby Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, which houses a specialized burn care facility. Paramedics described him as being in critical condition.

Inspectors from the City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety were summoned to evaluate the home's physical integrity, as Police and Fire Department Investigators continued their joint effort to determine the cause of the explosion. No immediate estimate of monetary damage was available.

Dispatched Units: E16 E47 RA47 E202 T2 RA2 BC2 E44 RA12 AR1 AR11 AR7 AR36

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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