Man, 50, Burned in Kitchen Fire

A 50-year-old man suffered serious burns when his kitchen caught fire Friday in a blaze that was mostly extinguished by neighbors, officials said.

Los Angeles firefighters arrived at 19609 Sherman Way about 10:15 a.m. to find residents of the apartment complex using the building’s hoses to battle a blaze in a first floor apartment, department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The blaze was extinguished about 10 minutes later with the help of 25 firefighters, who then found the man, who was suffering from burns over nearly half his body, outside the building, Humphrey said.

The victim, whose name was not released, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center. The cause of the fire was under investigation, Humphrey said.

He praised the neighbors’ key role in containing the blaze. “Their safe and appropriate response limited the fire’s spread,” he said. “We commend them.”