Fire at Sun Valley Business Sends Elderly Owner to the Hospital

SUN VALLEY - On Saturday September 14, 2013,  Los Angeles Firefighters battled a blaze in a commercial building that seriously injured the business owner.

At 11:18 AM, The Los Angeles Fire Department  responded to 10642 West Arminta Street. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire coming from a 50' by 150' single story commercial building. Within minutes of the firefight explosives were heard. Fire companies made a coordinated retreat and a defensive fire attack ensued. Nearly 100 firefighters, under the command of Battalion Chief  Robert Takeshita fully extinguished the flames in just 36 minutes.

The 80 year old business owner sustained burn injuries and was transported to an area hospital in serious condition. The owner of  Hollywood Engineering, had been at this location for over 40 years, where reloading equipment for ammunition was fabricated.

 The blaze was confined to the building of fire origin and deemed unsafe by the Department of Building and Safety. Because of the close proximity, the owners residence was also red tagged. The American Red Cross assisted with temporary placement for 3 adults, and 2 dogs.

Monetary loss from the fire was estimated at $500,000 ($250,000 structure & $250,000 contents). Los Angeles Fire Department Arson Investigators determined the cause to be electrical in nature.

Dispatched Units: E77 E89 T89 E289 RA89 RA889 E60 T60 E260 BC12 BC10 E81 E239 T39 E86 E298 E98 T98 DC3 EM15 BC14 T88 E288 UR88 E27 UR27 BC5 E88 RA88 E227 T27 AR1 AR2

(PHOTOS)

Submitted by Katherine Main, Spokesperson
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Four Injured, One Gravely When Fire Erupts in Sylmar Home

SYLMAR - The Los Angeles Fire Department was called just before 7:00 PM on July 6, 2013 to 13723 Sproule Avenue.

Upon arrival, the LAFD found a one story house involved in fire. The blaze was rapidly extinguished by 45 firefighters in just 17 minutes, under the command of Battalion Chief Dennis Waters.

Sadly the occupants of the room where the fire ignited sustained significant burns. A total of four male patients ranging in age from 17 to 35 were transported to area hospitals. One patient was transported in grave condition, two in serious, and one with non-life threatening injuries.

Dollar loss was tabulated at $125,000 ($100,000 structure and $25,000 contents). The cause the fire is under a joint investigation by the Los Angeles Fire Department Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section and the Los Angeles Police Department.

Dispatched Units: E91 RA91 E275 T75 RA75 E298 T98 EM15 BC12 E77 E18 E287 T87 AR2 RA98 AR11 RA81 AR1 AR9

Submitted by Katherine Main, Spokesperson
Los Angeles Fire Department

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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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Four Injured in Los Angeles Koreatown Apartment Blaze

KOREATOWN - Four persons were injured - one critically, when an apartment fire erupted Monday evening in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles.

A series of frantic 9-1-1 calls beginning at 8:14PM on September 17, 2012 brought the Los Angeles Fire Department to 504 South Normandie Avenue in Koreatown, where they discovered smoke and soon intense flames, visible from the lowest floor of three apartment levels over parking.

Photo by @EMAMD on Twitter

With reports of one or more residents trapped on the fire floor, and deadly smoke and heat filling the center hallway style building, the first of 72 LAFD responders braved oppressive conditions to push back the flames, as their colleagues swiftly forced entry into six apartments near the fire in a methodical search under zero-visibility conditions for those reported missing.

Firefighters found and rescued an approximately 28 year-old man from an interior hallway near the well involved apartment. With full thickness burns to nearly 85% of his body, he was transported by LAFD Paramedics in critical condition to an area hospital.

Other Firefighters found and rescued an approximately 58 year-old woman from within the smoke-charged building. With significant smoke exposure, she was transported in serious condition to a nearby hospital by LAFD Paramedics.

The fire was confined to the apartment of fire origin and an adjacent interior hallway, with flames brought fully under control in just 21 minutes.

Fire Department ambulances were later used to transport an approximately 45 year-old man with a foot injury, and a fourteen year-old girl with minor respiratory distress, both in good condition, to area hospitals.

No other injuries were reported.

Monetary loss to the 24-unit building is still being tabulated. The cause of the blaze remains under active investigation.

Dispatched Units: E29 T29 E229 RA29 RA829 E6 E52 E211 T11 EM11 BC11 BC705 E61 BC5 RA6 RA52 EM1 E226 T26 E13 E11 E261 T61 DC1 SQ21 EM13 BC18 T3 E203 RA3 RA803 T27 E227 UR27 UR88 BC1 UR3 RA13 RA811 AR1 AR11 AR10 AR23

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Fireworks Injure Several in Southland, Including 3 Los Angeles Children

LOS ANGELES - A series of preventable mishaps with personal-use fireworks sent several Los Angeles residents to the hospital on Independence Day, including at least three children who sustained painful injuries.

Hospitals across the region reported seeing firework related injuries from walk-in patients throughout the day on Wednesday, July 4, 2012; and in at least two separate cases, Los Angeles Fire Department Paramedics provided care to firework injured children under the age of five.

At 9:02 PM, LAFD crews rushed to the 500 block of West 111th Street in South Los Angeles, where a 3-year-old boy was one of two persons in a large crowd injured by illegal fireworks. The boy suffered a significant forehead laceration, while an unrelated 38 year-old man sustained a puncture wound to his leg.

At 9:35 PM, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 2200 block of East 101st Street in Watts, where a 4-year-old girl suffered a sizeable and potentially scarring full-thickness burn to the right side of her neck when as much as 2 percent of her body surface area was impacted by a flaming and outlawed "Roman Candle".

The parents of yet a third Los Angeles area child burned by unlawful fireworks made a frantic 9:27 PM telephone call from their car to 9-1-1 Dispatchers while racing to a local hospital, but did not offer their location, additional details or remain on the line.

The many persons - especially young people, injured by personal-use fireworks in Los Angeles stood in stark contrast to the countless families across the region who safely attended professional displays.

It is important to note that the possession or personal use of any firework has been outlawed in the City of Los Angeles since World War II.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Prevent a Nightmare on the 4th of July

Fire Chief Brian L. Cummings wants you and your family to have a fun and safe 4th of July. The best way to do that is to be prepared and know your local laws.

Some are still surprised to learn that the use or sale of ALL FIREWORKS including so called "safe and sane" have been illegal in the City of Los Angeles since 1942, except at approved fireworks shows of course.

As you can imagine, every 4th of July is one of the busiest days of the year for emergency services, and most calls are for fires and injuries caused by people using illegal fireworks. All too often, firefighters care for painful and disfiguring firecracker injuries that happen to the eyes, hands, head, and face.

Here are four statistics to contemplate...

1. Almost half of all people injured were children under the age of 15.
2. According to the United States eye registry, more bystanders are injured by fireworks than by the people who set them off.
3. Sparklers can heat up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit (that is hot enough to melt gold).
4. The highest numbers of injuries are firecrackers (26%), rockets (21%), and sparklers (11%). 

Playing with fireworks can hurt your pocketbook and calendar too. Possessing fireworks is a misdemeanor, punishable with a fine of $1,000 and/or one year in jail. In addition, our law enforcement friends remind you of the obvious dangers associated with discharging firearms into the air.

Your LAFD is committed to safety and thus started the Anti-Fireworks campaign in 1982 and participates in an annual joint 4th of July Anti-Fireworks Press Conference, educating and informing citizens, all in an effort to reduce the number of injuries and property loss caused by illegal fireworks.

We need your help: 

• If you see a fire, call 9-1-1. 
• Remind others to never experiment with or make their own fireworks.
• Never let anyone touch or pick up a dud firecracker that is lying on the ground.

Lets not forget about our furry friends. Remember, they have very sensitive hearing and can be stressed or frightened due to noise from fireworks. So, how about keeping your pets indoors with the windows closed and the air conditioner on? Give them the night off and let them enjoy the television or radio, it helps to block some of the noise.

"Prevent a nightmare on the 4th of July. Stay away from playing with fireworks, and play it safe by attending a public fireworks display." - Fire Chief Brian L. Cummings

FOR A LIST OF FIREWORKS SHOWS IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA:

safejuly4th.org or (888) 654-FIRE
     

Submitted by Erik Scott, 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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LAFD Offers Fire Safety Tips

With changes in the weather, we all resort to different methods to warm ourselves, our loved-ones and our homes. Your Los Angeles Fire Department asks you to please exercise extreme caution and a little common sense when doing so.

As we promote the annual "Change Your Clock Change Your Batteries" Campaign, it also offers a great opportunity to remind you all, of the inherent dangers associated with fire that may result from improperly functioning alarms in your homes.

As an example of such dangers, please view the following video that illustrates how the changes in materials being used by the furniture industry have considerably decreased the amount of time individuals and families have to exit their homes during a fire. It also emphasizes the extreme importance of having a working smoke alarm.


So we remind you: when you change your clock, you should change your smoke alarm batteries as well as the batteries in your carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, which are now required by law.

On another note of preparedness, the LAFD strongly encourages everyone to develop and practice a home safety plan. Following, are some helpful Fire Safety Tips to aid in your efforts:

Fire Safety Tips:

In the event of a fire, remember time is the biggest enemy and every second counts! Escape first, then call for help. Develop a home fire escape plan and designate a meeting place outside. Make sure everyone in the family knows two ways to escape from every room. Practice feeling your way out with your eyes closed. Never stand up in a fire, always crawl low under the smoke and try to keep your mouth covered. Never return to a burning building for any reason; it may cost you your life.

Talking about fire prevention and survival with your family, and practicing your home escape plan is something that may not be able to wait for tomorrow.

• Install smoke alarms in every room of a property. Consider networked smoke alarms that are linked together so that when one alarm sounds, all of the alarms sound. This immediate response can provide early warning no matter where the fire starts, giving more time to escape.
• Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors on every floor and near sleeping areas. As of July 1, 2011, the State of California requires Carbon Monoxide detectors in most single family homes - and soon in every residence.
• DO NOT use grills, hibachis or portable gas camp stoves indoors, as a means to warm your homes. All are sources of poisonous carbon monoxide gases.
• Use extreme caution when using portable generators, another source of carbon monoxide.
• Test smoke alarms and CO detectors monthly and replace batteries as needed.
• Never disable alarms by removing the batteries or by covering them.
• Know two ways out of every building--your residence hall, apartment, nightclub, restaurant or movie theater. A fire escape ladder can provide an alternate exit from second- or third-floor rooms.
• Properly dispose of smoking materials in ashtrays. After parties, check chair and couch cushions for smoldering cigarettes.
• Purchase a fire extinguisher and learn how to use it BEFORE a fire breaks out.
• Use approved extension cords and electrical appliances properly. Don't overload electrical outlets.
• Never leave candles unattended and keep them away from flammable items. Be sure to extinguish candles before going to bed.

Submitted by Matt Spence, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Firefighters Hold Special Celebration for Four Year-Old Burn Survivor

On Monday, May 2, 2011, Los Angeles Firefighters held a special celebration for Robert Jones, a four year-old boy who suffered third-degree burns to his hands and fingers earlier this year.

Los Angeles firefighters were so inspired by the boy's spirit that they pledged to hold a special birthday party for him at the Torrance Memorial Medical Center, where he has undergone three months of treatment - that included painful skin grafts, in the hospital's Burn Center.

Firefighters chipped in with armloads of presents, giving Robert a joyous celebration that included balloons, cake and his very own authentic "Los Angeles Fire Department" jacket and helmet.

Robert was proudly named "Honorary Firefighter of the Day" and given a certificate for a future ride on an LAFD fire boat when he recovers. The Los Angeles Fire Department extends special thanks to the caring staff at Torrance Memorial Medical Center for Robert's remarkable recovery and promising future. 

Our friends at SafeKids U.S.A. offer important tips for preventing burns and scalds, while the Education Center at MySafe:LA provides a comprehensive (and free) on-line course for burn prevention.


Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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