Elderly Woman Critically Hurt in House Fire
An early morning house fire in North Hollywood critically injured an 85-year-old woman Sunday and damaged an adjoining apartment building, a city fire official said.
The fire erupted at 12:44 a.m. in a garage that had been converted into an apartment in the 11300 block of Emelita Street, said Brian Humphrey, a Los Angeles fire spokesman.
When firefighters arrived, the garage was fully engulfed in flames and the fire had spread to a nearby apartment building.
Los Angeles police officers evacuated the apartment building, which sustained damage to one unit. Twenty-five firefighters extinguished the blaze in 16 minutes.
The unidentified 85-year-old woman who lived in the garage apartment suffered second- and third-degree burns to 35% of her body. She was listed in critical condition at Sherman Oaks Burn Center.
A pet dog also died in the blaze and five of seven cats remained unaccounted for, Humphrey said. The blaze caused $70,000 in damage and the cause is under investigation.
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