16 Hurt as 100 Flee Fire in Garment District Building

Fire tore through the first floor of a high-rise in downtown Los Angeles’ garment district Tuesday morning, filling the building with thick smoke and forcing throngs of workers through doors, down fire escapes and out of windows.

Sixteen people, most of them employees of the several garment manufacturers housed in the 10-story building at 830 S. Hill St., suffered minor injuries as they fled the blaze.

Six victims, including a sewing machine operator who is seven months pregnant, were taken to local hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation. Two other people were hospitalized for minor injuries suffered when they jumped from a second-floor window.

The eight hospitalized people were at White Memorial Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, County-USC Medical Center and California Medical Center, Los Angeles City Fire Department officials said.

The fire was reported shortly after 9:30 a.m. in a first-floor clothing outlet and soon engulfed three more shops.

Fire officials said they were still investigating the cause and point of origin of the blaze. The fire never spread beyond the first floor of the structure, which once housed the May Co.

“We contained the fire, but smoke raced through stairwells and air ducts and windows,” said Deputy Fire Chief Don Anthony.

Firefighters evacuated about 100 people, Anthony said, many of whom scaled down fire exits, dashed down stairwells and scurried down fire ladders to the crowded street.

“I had to get my people out,” said Duane Kim, who runs a garment manufacturing company on the seventh floor. “At first, I didn’t believe it was a fire when I heard the alarm, so I called the leasing office. They said there was fire, and we had about 25 people so we just ran down the stairs.”

Some of those inside the building complained that some of the emergency exits were sealed.

“The emergency doors were locked,” said Emiliana Soto, who spoke as she lay on a mat receiving treatment for a cut hand. “Me and three other women ran down from the sixth floor to the second, but we couldn’t get out through the emergency door on the second floor. We just jumped out of the window. I thought we were going to be trapped.”

Other workers said they did not hear an alarm.

“The lady from the elevator came and told us that the building was on fire,” said Sabina Miranda, 32, the pregnant sewing machine operator. “I was going downstairs, but at first I didn’t smell anything. Then, all of a sudden, I smelled smoke.”

Fire officials said they have not determined whether all of the exits and alarms operated properly during the fire. Anthony said that some of the shops were fitted with sprinkler systems, which he said had operated properly.