10-year-old girl killed, other family members injured in Cypress Park house fire

A 10-year-old girl was killed and other family members were injured when a house fire broke out in Cypress Park early Saturday morning, authorities said.

The girl was already unconscious when firefighters arrived at the burning house in the 3300 block of North Thorpe Avenue shortly after 4:30 a.m., said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The front door was locked and firefighters had to cut their way into the home with a saw, Humphrey said.

Once inside, they found the girl lying on the floor, just a few feet from the door, he said.

“They tried resuscitation efforts, but sadly she was beyond our help,” Humphrey said.

A man and a woman and three children, ages 10, 9 and 5, were rescued from the smoke-filled house, Humphrey said. They are currently in the hospital.

The man sustained severe smoke inhalation injuries and was in critical condition, he said.

A family pet died in the flames, Humphrey said.

More than two dozen firefighters battled the fire.

Firefighters said the heat and smoke inside the house brought them to their knees. However, it took them just 14 minutes from the time that they received the first 911 call to extinguish the fire, Humphrey said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Humphrey said there was a smoke alarm installed in the home, but it is not yet clear if it was functioning properly.

The home, a 1,000-square-foot single story house, was severely damaged, he said.