1 Hurt in Retirement Home Fire
An early morning fire swept through a Mission Hills retirement home Sunday, badly burning one man and forcing the evacuation of 40 residents, authorities said.
Firefighters extinguished the flames within 20 minutes of arriving at 2:34 a.m. “We found heavy smoke coming from the second floor,” Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
Many elderly residents of the three-story building at 10050 Sepulveda Blvd. were still inside when firefighters arrived--including a blind woman trapped on her patio, Humphrey said. While most firefighters worked to douse the flames, others searched the building and rescued all inside.
One resident suffered second-degree burns over 10% of his body. He was in stable condition at Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, Humphrey said. Four others were treated for minor smoke inhalation.
Authorities said the cause of the fire was under investigation Sunday. Damage to the structure was estimated at $3,700. Investigators estimated residents lost about $48,000 worth of possessions.
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