Firefighters rescue 13 in burning South Los Angeles building
The residents, including a mother and child, were trapped upstairs by smoke. Nobody is hurt and the blaze is quickly put out.
Thirteen people trapped by smoke and fire on the second story of an apartment building in South Los Angeles were screaming for help through windows this morning before they were rescued by firefighters, officials said.
Black smoke was pouring from the brick building's second-story windows and residents were leaning out, crying out to be rescued, as Los Angeles County firefighters pulled up to the fire at 6800 Central Avenue at 8:07 a.m., inspector Darryl Jacobs said.
Firefighters rescued a young mother and her child who were trapped in a closet, as well as 11 other people, Jacobs said. Residents had been trapped by heavy smoke pumping through the main exit, a hallway.
"It was quick, aggressive work by Los Angeles County Battalion 13 that effectively saved lives," Jacobs said.
All residents were safely rescued and no one was injured, Jacobs said.
The fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes. Some units were left uninhabitable. Firefighters are investigating the source of the blaze, which may have been caused by a faulty electrical connection to a dryer on the first floor.
Lin is a Times staff writer.
ron.lin@latimes.com
