Two Firefighters Injured, Family Displaced in North Hills Apartment Fire

NORTH HILLS - Two Los Angeles Firefighters were injured and a family of three displaced, when fire engulfed an apartment Saturday afternoon.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 1:06 PM on September 21, 2013 to 8718 Parthenia Place in North Hills. Firefighters arrived swiftly at the 5,864 square-foot two-story garden-style building, to find one second floor apartment heavily involved with fire. With reports of people trapped in the inferno, an aggressive and well-coordinated attack on the fire quickly ensued.

While their colleagues battled the flames, LAFD Paramedics examined five neighbors who had tried accessing the smoke-charged apartment in a belief that occupants were trapped. Thankfully, the involved apartment had been equipped with properly installed and maintained smoke alarms, which alerted occupants and neighbors to escape in a timely manner.

The three occupants of the burning unit were without physical harm, and the five neighbors who acted in good will required no immediate care for their brief exposure to smoke. It took 44 firefighters under the command of Battalion Chief Curt Klafta, just 17 minutes to fully extinguish the flames, which were confined to the apartment of fire origin.

During fire attack, two firefighters were injured. One suffered first- and second-degree burns to his hands, ears, forehead and right knee. The other required treatment for smoke inhalation. Both men were transported to hospitals by Fire Department ambulance for what were considered non-life threatening injuries.

No other persons were injured. The woman and her two teenage sons displaced by the fire were provided on-site assistance with temporary living needs by American Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers.

LAFD crews spent an additional four hours at the scene mopping up the blaze while providing personal care and emotional support to residents of the eleven unit complex. Despite a lack of residential fire sprinklers, loss to the 57 year-old building was limited to $90,000 ($60,000 structure & $30,000 contents). The blaze is considered electrical in nature, attributed to a window mounted air conditioner.

Dispatched Units: E290 T90 RA90 E81 RA81 E275 T75 EM14 BC12 E98 E7 RA7 E287 T87 T87 E287 E275 T75 AR2 BC12

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Fire Demolishes Two Businesses in Panorama City

PANORAMA CITY - It took the combined effort of 162 Los Angeles Firefighters more than two hours to fully control flames early Wednesday morning, when fire swept through a large building shared by a metal finishing firm and sign manufacturing business in the central San Fernando Valley.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned by the 9-1-1 call of a passerby at 3:14 AM, reporting a fire in or near a one-story industrial building at 14660 Arminta Street in Panorama City.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find heavy smoke showing from the rear of a metal plating business housed in a portion of the 200' x 300' structure. A witness thankfully alerted building occupants of the fire, allowing those two men to escape unharmed prior to the Fire Department's arrival.


Within minutes, fire was through the roof of the 61 year-old building - containing hazardous chemicals, causing firefighters to assume a defensive posture to prevent flames from spreading to nearby businesses, while focusing their concern on limiting environmental harm. LAFD Hazardous Materials experts performed multiple assessments of the water runoff and ambient air quality during the relentless battle to control flames. Though one acidic reading was noted in pooled water on the premises, no off-site air or water hazards were specifically identified.

Despite structural compromise, the fire was skillfully confined to the single building of fire origin, with the bulk of flames extinguished in 2 hours and 7 minutes. Spared from fire damage was the attached K & K Design Studios immediately to the west, as well as the neighboring Consolidated Fabricators to the east.

No injuries were reported at the scene of the fire. LAFD personnel remained on-site for more than 24 hours overhauling smoldering debris, assisting a detailed fire cause investigation and supporting County of Los Angeles Health Hazardous Materials Division responders, who will oversee cleanup operations.

Fire loss to Aero Chrome Plating and Nationwide Displays, which were destroyed in the fire, is still being tabulated. The cause of the early morning blaze remains under active investigation.

More than four hours after the flames were extinguished, LAFD crews were summoned to the Los Angeles Police Department's Valley Bureau Headquarters, four-tenths of a mile northeast of the blaze, where eleven civilian and uniformed workers - who had not responded to the scene, expressed subjective respiratory irritation and general malaise.

One worker was taken to the hospital by colleagues prior to the Fire Department's arrival. Following a comprehensive medical evaluation by LAFD Paramedics, nine of the remaining ten patients declined further medical treatment or transportation by Fire Department ambulance. One woman was taken by LAFD Paramedics to a nearby hospital for further evaluation, her condition was not specified. LAFD personnel were unable to identify any acutely hazardous substance or condition within the police facility that may have been related to the fire.

Dispatched Units: E81 RA881 RA81 E7 E239 T39 E290 E90 T90 EM14 BC10 BC12 E98 E87 SQ87 E298 T98 RA7 RA90 E275 T75 E288 T88 DC3 E100 EM15 EM17 BC14 BC15 UR88 T27 E227 E27 UR27 BC5 T87 E287 RA87 RA27 E60 E39 E88 E293 T93 E289 T89 E273 T73 AR2 EA1 E29 E211 T11 E95 T95 E295 SQ95 RM2 RM3 RT83 RA909 HR56 AR7 E93 T61 E261 T37 E237 E83 T89 E289 E88

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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One Dead, Eleven Injured When Car Hits Crowd on Venice Beach Boardwalk

VENICE - One person died and eleven were injured, when a car struck at least a dozen pedestrians on the busy Venice Beach Boardwalk Saturday evening.

A flurry of 9-1-1 calls at 6:01 PM on August 3, 2013 brought an augmented response of Los Angeles Fire Department crews to Ocean Front Walk near Dudley Avenue, where they found County of Los Angeles Fire Department Lifeguard Paramedics caring for the first of twelve injured persons along a quarter-mile corridor at the globally popular tourist destination.


With well practiced precision, Los Angeles Firefighters and Lifeguards performed a swift and effective triage of a dozen adults, including one person in grave condition, another with critical injuries, a pair in serious condition and eight with minor injuries. Two of the minor injuries declined ambulance transportation.

A fleet of nine LAFD Paramedic Ambulances rushed the ten patients to a trio of regional hospitals, including Marina Del Rey Hospital, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The Los Angeles Police Department later announced that the gravely injured woman succumbed to her injuries at a hospital.

A positive identification of the deceased woman, as well as the precise cause, time and manner of her death will be determined the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

Though other pedestrians on the crowded boardwalk may have been injured by the vehicle - or in an attempt to avoid it, neither the motorist or additional injured persons were discovered at the scene by Fire Department responders.

The incident remains the focus of an active Los Angeles Police Department investigation.

Dispatched LAFD Units: E63 RA63 E263 T63 E62 RA62 E67 HR56 EM9 BC4 UR88 E59 E269 T69 E292 T92 E43 DC1 BC9 RA59 RA69 RA92 RA43 RA19 EM11 EM14 RA869 RA826 RA858 RA58 RA264 RA37 RA5

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
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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Elderly Couple Struggle to Survive Boyle Heights House Fire

BOYLE HEIGHTS - Despite a valiant rescue effort by Good Samaritans, and the quick response of Los Angeles Firefighters, an elderly man and woman were hospitalized in grave condition Thursday morning, after an accidental fire swept through their home.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 9:00 AM on January 10, 2013 to 3136 East Malabar Street, where they found a 1,400 square foot one-story home fully involved with fire.


A pair of men, who had just taken their children to adjacent Malabar Elementary School, ran to the scene and forced entry to the rear of the home, kicking a door to begin rescue of a non-breathing 70 year-old woman. The LAFD arrived to complete the effort and provide advanced medical care for the lifeless resident.

Despite oppressive fire conditions fed by variable wind, firefighters relentlessly searched the burning building to find and rescue the woman's non-breathing 90 year old spouse. He was swiftly provided care by a separate team of LAFD Paramedics, and the two were soon transported in 'grave' condition to nearby hospitals.

Sixty Los Angeles Firefighters under the command of Battalion Chief Phillip Fligiel, prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent homes or the nearby school. They fully extinguished the flames in just 21 minutes. Two firefighters suffered smoke exposure due to suddenly shifting winds. They were medically evaluated at the scene before being returned to duty. No other injuries were reported.

A post-fire investigation found no evidence of functional smoke alarms within the home, and further determined that window security bars were not equipped with mandated emergency escape quick-release systems. A front door security screen was found to be secured inappropriately with a padlock, and myriad electrical hazards, including overloaded circuits, improperly used extension cords and portable space heaters were found throughout the 107 year-old wood frame home, which was not equipped with residential fire sprinklers.

Monetary loss from the fire - which destroyed the home, is still being tabulated. Following a detailed examination of the scene, LAFD Investigators resolutely determined there were no suspicious circumstances. The specific cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Dispatched Units: E2 E25 RA25 RA1 T3 E203 EM1 BC1 E9 E16 T9 T2 E202 RA17 RA9 EM13 AR1 DC1 EM3 AR23 AR39 AR12 AR17 E203 T3

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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L.A. Chinatown Apartment Fire Claims One Life, Critically Injures Two Others

CHINATOWN - Despite a swift response and dramatic rescue by Los Angeles Firefighters, one woman has died and two men have been critically injured in a fast moving apartment fire Wednesday evening.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 6:04 PM on December 26, 2012 to 756 North Cleveland Street in the Chinatown district. Firefighters arrived quickly to find one second floor apartment at the rear of the U-shaped two story building well involved with flame.


LAFD crews commenced a simultaneous fire attack and rescue effort for an elderly mobility-impaired woman trapped in the burning apartment, as they crawled through blinding smoke that had repulsed neighbors' attempts to assist her. Quickly finding and carrying the burnt, pulseless and non-breathing 80 year-old from her apartment, firefighters discovered two injured men nearby, and began on scene care for the trio.

The lifeless woman, who had sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns to nearly 80% of her body, was provided prompt advanced life support measures by LAFD Paramedics who rushed her in grave condition to the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center, where she died shortly after arrival.

The injured men, described as her husband and son, suffered varying degrees of burns and smoke inhalation. In critical condition, they were also taken by LAFD ambulance to the Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center.

Forty-eight LAFD personnel under the command Assistant Chief Ronnie Villanueva confined the fire to the apartment of origin, extinguishing the blaze in just 13 minutes. Monetary loss was limited to $31,500 ($25,000 structure & $6,500 contents) and no other injuries were reported.

Though the two bedroom apartment contained three smoke alarms, their functional status and role in alerting residents could not be immediately determined. The 46 year-old building was not equipped with residential fire sprinklers.

The identity of the deceased woman, as well as the precise cause, time and manner of her death, will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner. Though the cause of the blaze remains the focus of an active investigation, LAFD Investigators do not consider the fire to be an intentional act or suspicious in nature.

Dispatched Units: E203 T3 RA803 E4 E220 T20 RA20 EM1 BC1 E9 E3 T9 E11 BC11 RA209 RA9 AR1 AR11 DC716 E3

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Fast Moving Arleta Blaze Displaces Seven, Injures Firefighters

ARLETA - A fast-moving house fire sparked by the careless use of a barbecue, displaced seven residents and sent three Los Angeles Firefighters to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 12:48 PM on November 28, 2012 to 9205 Dorrington Avenue in Arleta, where firefighters discovered fire to the rear of a one-story home. Intense flames had consumed an 8' x 15' fabric canopy stretched over a tall metal frame that abutted the residence, allowing flames to extend into the building prior to the Fire Department's arrival.

During the skirmish with flames, one firefighter fell nine feet through fire-weakened eaves at the southwest edge of the home, squarely striking a colleague on the ground and grazing another before landing on a ragged pile of debris outside the building. The three men sustained injuries that ranged from painful to potentially debilitating, yet were considered non-life threatening. The trio were taken to an area hospital where at least one was expected to remain for observation.

LAFD crews reunited two small dogs with the homeowner as they battled the flames, which were extinguished in just 16 minutes - but not before causing $100,000 damage ($70,000 structure & $30,000 contents) to the home, which was not equipped with fire sprinklers.

No other injuries were reported. The American Red Cross provided temporary placement assistance to the three adults and four children displaced by the blaze.

The cause of the fire is considered accidental. Responders attribute the blaze to careless placement of the barbecue beneath a fabric canopy, combined with unsafe handling of ignited charcoal.

Dispatched Units: E7 E81 RA75 T90 RA890 EM12 BC12 E98 T98 E298 RA7 RA898 E275 E289 T89 DC3 E290

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Small Plane Crashes on Cal State Northridge Campus

NORTHRIDGE - The crash of a small single-engine plane attempting to make an emergency landing on a college athletic field Sunday afternoon, sent the plane's two occupants to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The Los Angeles Fire Department received an emergency call from the Control Tower at Van Nuys Airport at 3:09 PM on November 25, 2012, reporting a small aircraft down on the campus of California State University Northridge (CSUN), 2.5 miles northwest of the airport.

Aviation authorities stated the Cessna 206, a six-seat single engine airplane with two persons aboard, was traveling from Novato, California to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, when an in-flight emergency was declared.

Witnesses describe the pilot attempting to land the ailing aircraft on the athletic fields that occupy the northeast section of CSUN's South Campus. The plane quickly traversed the fields, before striking a chain link fence and a tree, which sheared the Cessna's left wing and caused the craft to overturn. Amazingly, there were no injuries on the ground, and no campus structures damaged. Thick smoke seen as the airplane came to a rest soon dissipated, and what was initially believed to be a small fire, may have simply been burning oil.

Several bystanders came to the immediate aid of the male pilot and female passenger, assisting them from the wreckage. The Los Angeles Fire Department arrived quickly to abate the fire hazard and provide medical care to the pilot and passenger, who were described as in fair condition with non-life threatening injuries. The two were taken by LAFD ambulance to an area hospital.

The Fire Department remained on-site for more than four hours to assure campus safety, minimize environmental harm and preserve the scene for a coordinated investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.

Dispatched Units: E70 RA70 E103 E287 T87 E87 T73 E273 RA104 HR56 EM15 BC15 UR88 DC3 H8

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Warehouse Fumes in Lincoln Heights Send 17 to Hospital

LINCOLN HEIGHTS - Fumes sickened eighteen workers at a massive Lincoln Heights warehouse operated by a fashion retailer on Sunday morning, sending seventeen to the hospital for non-life threatening illness.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was initially summoned at 9:53 AM on November 4, 2012 to investigate one person ill at the 'Forever 21' distribution center, located at 3880 North Mission Road in Lincoln Heights.

Learning that a foul odor within the expansive complex may have caused the one woman to take ill - and others to experience sudden malaise, the first arriving LAFD crew escalated the incident to a hazardous materials investigation, ultimately bringing 102 Fire Department responders, including an LAFD Hazardous Materials Task Force, to assist the scores of employees working in the nearly 2 million square foot warehouse and adjoining offices.

Establishing a command post uphill and upwind of the business, Battalion Chief Al Ward coordinated the prompt effort to assist the ill and identify the source of the irritating odor.

Though the vast majority of a hundred-or-more workers were without symptoms, LAFD Paramedics quickly triaged employees to isolate eighteen experiencing headache, nausea and vomiting. Of the 18, one declined further medical care, and was released at the scene. The remaining seventeen were taken by Fire Department ambulance to regional hospitals in good to fair condition. No other injuries were reported.

LAFD Hazardous Materials experts, fully clad in protective gear, soon determined a concern verbalized by workers of a "cleaning solution" placed in a dumpster not to be the irritant.

Using sophisticated handheld sensors and hazardous product identification tools, the well-trained LAFD HazMat Team continued a meticulous search of the premises to determine that fumes from an earlier roof repair involving adhesives, as well as vapor from spray painting of a large basement area, were drawn into the building's ventilation system, causing the sudden odor sensed by distant employees.

Pursuant of protocol, LAFD requested the County of Los Angeles Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division to conclude the investigation and formally declare the industrial building fit to be reoccupied.

Dispatched Units: E47 RA1 RA2 E17 E221 E21 T21 SQ21 EM1 BC2 E12 RA21 RA17 RA12 RA844 RA25 RA804 RA4 RA3 RA209 EM11 EM13 BC11 RA9 EA1 DC1 E2 E201 T1 E15 T10 E210 BC1 E202 T2 BC5 BC18 RA821 RA47 RA15 RA20 CM3 T15 E215

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Hollywood Boulevard Bus Collision Sends 35 to Hospital

HOLLYWOOD - A transit bus sideswiped a driverless dump truck before colliding with a sedan on Hollywood Boulevard Tuesday morning, sending thirty-five people to the hospital.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 7:57 AM on October 23, 2012 to 7673 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Firefighters arrived quickly to discover three vehicles involved in a dramatic collision.


According to witnesses, a Metro bus traveling westbound on Hollywood Boulevard had attempted to avoid but sideswiped a dump truck sans driver that rolled suddenly down an incline into its path at Stanley Avenue. Following the evasive maneuver, the bus collided with an eastbound sedan, badly trapping the driver of that vehicle when it became partially wedged beneath the front of the bus.

Teams of Los Angeles Firefighters, including personnel assigned to the LAFD Urban Search & Rescue and Heavy Rescue units, disentangled the trapped driver from her auto, while their colleagues performed a systematic triage of the remaining 37 persons involved in the collision.

The woman was removed from the crumpled remains of her silver sedan in less than twenty minutes. Having suffered a fractured left leg and other unspecified injuries, she was transported by LAFD Paramedics to a nearby trauma center in serious condition.

The woman's pre-teen daughter, who had been riding properly restrained in the rear seat of her vehicle, was able to exit the car unscathed prior to the Fire Department's arrival. In fair condition, she was taken to a nearby pediatric hospital by LAFD ambulance.

Also shaken but suffering minimal injury was the bus driver, who along with 32 of her passengers stated a desire for hospital evaluation. The 33 from aboard the bus, as well as the automobile driver and her daughter accounted for the 35 total taken to eight regional hospitals by LAFD ambulance for further assessment and care.


Three bus passengers declined treatment or transportation, and were released at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

The collision remains under formal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials.

Dispatched Units: E41 RA41 E27 RA27 E82 E261 T61 HR56 EM5 BC5 UR88 E97 RA97 RA61 RA876 RA58 RA829 RA894 RA826 EM18 EM11 RA827 RA835 RA803 RA860 RA829 RA850

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, 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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Three Perish in Fiery Studio City Collision

STUDIO CITY - Police are investigating the cause of a fiery pre-dawn crash that took three lives Sunday morning in Studio City.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was alerted at 3:35 AM on September 9, 2012 to a traffic collision with fire at 11412 Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. Firefighters arrived quickly to find a car heavily involved with flames, the inferno threatening at least one nearby business.

According to witnesses, the full-size sedan had left the roadway, striking a tree, before shearing a natural gas line as it came to rest against the wall of a nearby restaurant. Almost instantly, the vehicle was consumed by flames, incinerating two persons within, and another who was partially outside the car. Beyond medical help, the trio were declared dead at the scene.

It took the combined effort of 52 firefighters just 23 minutes to fully extinguish the flames, though LAFD crews spent several hours at the scene minimizing damage to Reno's Pizzeria, before assisting Coroner's staff with the discrete and dignified removal of the deceased.

No other injuries were reported.

A positive identification - to include the age and gender - of those who died, as well as the precise cause, time and manner of their deaths, will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

The collision remains under active investigation by Los Angeles Police officials. No damage estimate for the structure was immediately available.

Dispatched Units: E86 T60 E260 RA86 E278 RA78 T78 E60 E76 RA97 HR56 EM14 BC14 UR88 E97 E289 T89 DC3 SQ21

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Crash Between Los Angeles Transit Vehicles Sends 32 to Hospital

WASHINGTON BOULEVARD CORRIDOR - A collision between a Metro Blue Line train and a Metro Local transit bus south of downtown Los Angeles, sent thirty-two persons to the hospital Monday morning. None of the injuries was believed to be life threatening.


The crash between the passenger-laden mass transit vehicles was reported to the Los Angeles Fire Department at 6:58AM on August 27, 2012, bringing a swift and structured response of 119 LAFD personnel to 1900 South San Pedro Street in the Washington Boulevard Corridor.

According to witnesses and transit officials, the Long Beach bound light-rail train was traveling east at-grade in the roadway median, when it collided with a southbound Line 51 bus. The train remained upright and on the tracks, while the bus continued to strike and topple a traffic signal on the southwest corner of San Pedro Street and Washington Boulevard.

No one was trapped in the bus, and there were no reports of injury to pedestrians or nearby motorists. Within moments, Fire Department responders had assembled a triage system that identified 48 persons as in need or desirous of medical evaluation.

Following triage and on-site treatment, a total of thirty-two persons from the bus and train were taken to nine area hospitals by LAFD ambulance. They included 31 men and women who sustained minor injuries and were described as being in good condition, as well as one man who took ill, being described as in fair condition.

The collision is being investigated by Los Angeles Police Department, with assistance of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which provides contract policing services to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a countywide transit agency.

Dispatched Units: E10 RA10 E9 T9 HR56 EM11 BC1 E15 T10 E210 RA9 RA209 RA14 EM3 RA17 EM13 RA4 RA810 RA809 RA814 RA821 RA803 E14 E17 E215 T15 E221 T21 SQ21 DC1 BC11 EM5 EM9 RA13 RA21 RA3 RA25 RA2 RM3 HR56 RA811 RA846 RA826 RA829 RA20 RA804 RA834 RA844 RA850 RA27 MT3 E3

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Two Die Trying to Assist Victims of Valley Village Traffic Collision

VALLEY VILLAGE - Two women who tried to help victims of an auto accident in Valley Village were electrocuted, and six others were injured, after a vehicle struck a fire hydrant and a light standard on August 23, 2012.

An adult male, the single occupant and driver of a white SUV, sheared off a fire hydrant and light standard just before 8:30 p.m. in the 12000 block of Magnolia Boulevard, near Ben Avenue.

Los Angeles Firefighters arrived to find the SUV stopped on the lawn of a residence. A fire hydrant approximately 10 feet behind it, was shooting water into the sky. The water quickly began to pool. Underneath the vehicle was an old fashioned concrete light standard, leaving behind electrical wires sticking out of the ground. The wires were disguised by darkness, running water, and the commotion of a growing crowd.

Neighbors were startled after hearing the crash and came running out their homes to help. They were met by other concerned citizens whom stopped their cars. Sadly, two of these well intentioned people, stepped into water that was unknowingly energized and were killed. Others followed suit, and were injured.

Fortunately, as firefighters rushed to help the motionless victims on the ground, their keen sense of safety along with warning of bystanders, stopped them stepping into the energized water, and becoming victims themselves. Rather, they quickly utilized rubber gauntlet gloves and a long pike pole to safely remove the victims, then rendered aggressive medical aid. Additional firefighters were immediately requested, and a total of 55 firefighters, all under the command of Battalion Chief Daniel McCarty, assisted in securing the area, shutting down the water flow, and treating the remaining patients.

Also, the Department of Water and Power helped shutting down the electrical and water problems, and LAPD's Valley Traffic Division investigated the crash.

A total of eight individuals, ranging from 19 to 57 years-old were injured. Sadly, and despite assiduous treatment by Firefighter/Paramedic's, two were later pronounced dead at an area hospital. Six others suffered minor injuries, one of which declined transport to a hospital. All but the driver were electrically shocked.

This tragic accident touched all our hearts, and in some ways can serve as a warning. Many people, with nothing but the best intentions, were injured and killed while trying to save others. This reminds all who want to help at the scene of an emergency to stay aware of their surroundings and if there is any question as to safety, please wait for trained rescuers to arrive.

Dispatched Units: E260 E60 T60 RA60 E102 RA78 RA86 EM14 BC14 RA102 RA86 E278 T78 RA89 E86 E289 T89 RA97 RA39 RA88 EM11 EM17 DC3 BC10

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Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Bus Crash in Palms area of Los Angeles Sends 11 to Hospital

PALMS - A traffic collision involving a Los Angeles Metro transit bus sent eleven persons to the hospital on Wednesday evening, but none of the injuries was believed to be life threatening.


The crash was reported to the Los Angeles Fire Department at 5:49 PM on August 8, 2012, bringing a response of 41 LAFD personnel to the 9700 block of Venice Boulevard. Firefighters discovered a black sport utility vehicle, which witnesses describe as striking a white sedan before colliding with the mid-section of an eastbound 60' articulated bus.

A team of LAFD Paramedics focused their efforts on the SUV driver, who was in serious condition, while their colleagues commenced a swift and efficient triage, treatment and transportation of the remaining patients, all of whom had lesser injuries.

Ultimately eleven adults, ranging from 21-to-80 years of age, were taken to area hospitals by LAFD ambulance.

The collision is being investigated by Los Angeles Police Department with assistance of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which provides contract policing services to the countywide transit agency.

Dispatched Units: RA34 E43 E58 RA858 RA92 RA62 EM9 EM13 BC9 E292 T92 E62 RA859 RA861 RA829 EM11 RA841

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Special Effect at Hollywood Nightclub Sends 6 to Hospital

HOLLYWOOD - More than 400 patrons at a Hollywood nightclub were sent scrambling for the exits, and six were taken to the hospital, after a large volume of carbon dioxide used as a theatrical fogging effect filled the venue on Saturday evening.


The initial call at 6:04 PM on July 21, 2012 sought the Los Angeles Fire Department to assist one or more persons having difficulty breathing at the Avalon Hollywood, located at 1735 Vine Street.

Firefighters and Paramedics arrived quickly to find scores of mostly young people who had escaped the auditorium after an unknown vapor suddenly filled the room. With some patrons clearly ill and displaying superficial burns, LAFD responders escalated the incident to a multi-patient hazardous materials investigation, bringing 70 LAFD personnel and allied agencies to the scene.

Vine Street was temporarily closed between Hollywood Boulevard and Franklin Avenue as dozens of emergency vehicles, including nine Fire Department ambulances lined the roadway.

The Fire Department swiftly assembled triage and treatment areas and prepared for the possible decontamination of the crowd, as LAFD HazMat experts combed the theater and conferred with club staff.

It was soon determined that a larger than desired amount of cryogenic liquid carbon dioxide intended for a theatrical fog effect, had been suddenly released into the well attended "teen awards show pre-party", causing zero visibility conditions. The frostbite-like burns experienced by some were attributed to contact with some of the freezing liquid that had failed to fully vaporize.

With respiratory ailments appearing to lessen in the fresh air, just 22 attendees expressed a desire for medical evaluation. Sixteen persons, including minors accompanied by their parents, ultimately declined treatment and transportation.

A total of six party-goers, including some minors, were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. They were described as being in good to fair condition. No performers were among the ill or injured.

Once determined that no hazard remained within the venue, the facility was allowed to resume business for the evening, though the original party had been disbanded.

Dispatched Units: RA27 RA827 E27 BC5 E27 E82 E76 RA35 RA61 RA86 EM11 EM13 EM1 T27 E227 E21 E221 T21 SQ21 RA821 RA21 DC3 RA68 EM13 EM1 RA26 BC18 BC11 BC13 JT2

[ photos | video ]

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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East Valley High School Evacuated After Chemistry Lab Mishap

NORTH HOLLYWOOD - A mishap in a North Hollywood high school chemistry lab caused a temporary campus evacuation and led to four persons being hospitalized.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned by East Valley High School officials at 12:52 PM on Monday, June 11, 2012, to investigate the accidental release of chemical fumes within a third-story science classroom at their 5525 Vineland Avenue campus in North Hollywood.


Fire Department crews responded quickly to help coordinate a calm and orderly evacuation of students and faculty to the school's athletic field, as LAFD Hazardous Materials experts made their way to the chemistry classroom where the incident occurred.

According to witnesses, a teacher was performing a science experiment before a class of 45 students, when a sudden and unanticipated reaction produced noxious fumes. Immediately closing the container and placing it under a ventilation hood in the classroom, the teacher moved the students from the room as a precautionary measure. There was no fire, explosion or obvious injury to those who witnessed the reaction.

Students assembled on the athletic field as firefighters examined the school's gymnasium to assure it safe, before moving evacuees there as respite from the sun of a warm Spring day. The 45 students and teacher from the involved classroom were individually examined at the scene by Fire Department responders, including an emergency physician who serves as the LAFD Medical Director.

Two adults and two students with minor medical complaints were taken to an area hospital by ambulance for further evaluation.

The County of Los Angeles Fire Department Health Hazardous Materials Division, as well as Los Angeles Unified School District officials, will be handling the subsequent investigation.

Dispatched Units: E60 RA860 RA60 E298 T98 E87 E221 T21 SQ21 EM15 BC14 E102 T60 E260 RA52 RA89 EM14 E86 RA78 DC3 E89 E88 E27 E278 T78 BC5 RA35 RA56 MD1 RA9 RA55 EM17

[ photos | slideshow ]

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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8 Injured When 3 Vehicles Crash in South L.A.

CRENSHAW CORRIDOR - On a quiet Sunday afternoon, residents were abruptly startled by sounds of three vehicles colliding at King Blvd, just East of Crenshaw Blvd. Los Angeles Firefighters rapidly treated and transported eight patients, five of which suffered serious injuries.

Summoned by numerous 9-1-1 calls, at 4:19 PM on, May 6, 2012, the Los Angeles Fire Department swiftly dispatched 54 personnel, under the command of Battalion Chief Alicia Welch, to safely manage the scene on the 3500 block of Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, where two sedans and one SUV crashed. Fortunately no victims were trapped or required extrication with hydraulic prying tools.

The injured patients, ranging from 16 years-old to 57 years-old, were taken to strategic regional hospitals in a fleet of LAFD ambulances. The incident, including the cause and the surrounding circumstances, remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Dispatched Units: RA894 E94 RA34 RA94 T94 E294 RA34 RA866 RA826 EM11 EM1 EM9 BC18 RA66 RA68 EM1 EM9 RA26 RA14

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Harbor Freeway Collision Sends Seven to Hospital

HARBOR GATEWAY - A single vehicle collision brought pre-dawn traffic to a standstill on the northbound Harbor (SR-110) Freeway in the Harbor Gateway area of Los Angeles early Sunday morning, as Fire Department crews treated seven patients, five of them with critical injuries.

Summoned by California Highway Patrol dispatchers at 3:32 AM on Sunday, May 6, 2012, the Los Angeles Fire Department swiftly dispatched 39 personnel to safely manage the scene just north of El Segundo Boulevard, where a car collided forcefully with a concrete freeway median before overturning.

Five of the injured were readily removed by firefighters from the mangled sedan, though two remained badly trapped, requiring rescuers to skilfully disentangle them from the wreckage with hydraulic prying tools.

The serious to critically injured, described as 3 men and 4 women in their twenties, were taken to regional hospitals in a fleet of LAFD ambulances. The incident remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

Dispatched Units: E64 E79 RA79 E264 T64 BC13 RA264 RA64 EM13 RA57 E57 RA65 RA33 RA865 RA866

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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South Los Angeles House Fire Injures Woman and Police Officers

SOUTH LOS ANGELES - A woman was in critical condition Thursday night, after being rescued from her home by Los Angeles Firefighters, in a blaze that also caused injury to two Los Angeles Police Officers.

The fire was reported at 7:24 PM on Thursday, March 1, 2012, bringing 33 members of the Los Angeles Fire Department to battle intense flames within a one-story home at 630 West 76th Street in South Los Angeles.

With a report of persons trapped by the fire, firefighters arrived quickly to find a teenage male who had safely escaped, and two Los Angeles Police Officers with painful though minor burn injuries from attempts to rescue the boy and his yet unfound mother.

According to the teen, his mother had awakened him to the fire, allowing him to escape uninjured through a window, before she - for reasons unknown, reportedly turned toward the seat of the mounting flames, which were initially noted in the front rooms of the home.

As firefighters made a relentless attack on the fire, their colleagues began a rapid yet systematic search of the heat and smoke-charged 1,000 square-foot home, soon discovering the missing 42 year-old woman unconscious in a bathtub.

LAFD crews swiftly quenched the flames as the critically injured woman, with burns to more than 50% of her body, was carried from the home to an awaiting Fire Department ambulance. Firefighter/Paramedics continued their life-saving care while transporting the woman to California Hospital Medical Center.

The two injured Los Angeles Police Officers sustained first- and second-degree burns to their arms, and were taken by LAFD Ambulance in fair condition to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

No other injuries were reported.

The fire was fully extinguished in just 16 minutes. The presence and functional status of household smoke alarms could not be immediately determined. Though the residence was equipped with window bars and security doors, it was not evident what role - if any - they may have played in hampering the woman's egress. The home was not equipped with residential fire sprinklers.

Monetary loss from the flames, which severely damaged the home, is still being tabulated. The American Red Cross was summoned to assist the family in recovering from the fire.

The cause of the blaze remains under active investigation.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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