Short, intense fire at duplex knocked down in South L.A.
Firefighters quickly knocked down a short but intense fire that swept through a two-story duplex Thursday morning in South L.A.
Officials had initially reported that no one was injured in the blaze but later said a firefighter suffered minor burns and had to be taken to a local hospital for treatment.
As the fire sent smoke billowing over the Vermont Square neighborhood, television footage showed residents using garden hoses to try to douse flames coming out of second-story windows as fire trucks arrived.
“We never encourage residents to do that,” said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Eric French. “It actually doesn’t help to knock down the fire quickly.”
The fire was reported about 8:21 a.m. in the 1800 block of West 49th Street.
It took 34 firefighters 12 minutes to knock down the blaze.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
For breaking news in Los Angeles and throughout California, follow @VeronicaRochaLA. She can be reached at veronica.rocha@latimes.com.
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