Woman Dies in Fire at Apartments

An early morning fire in a city-owned apartment complex for the elderly and disabled killed one woman and left several others injured.

As smoke filled the building, several residents and firefighters battled thick smoke to lead tenants to safety.

“It was a total panic,” said resident Steve Katz, 35, who shepherded four frightened residents to safety with equipment from the earthquake kit he keeps near his bed.

“The stairwell went black,” Katz said. “I had a lantern. When I entered the stairwell there were a bunch of people there who couldn’t see where they were going. I basically lit their way out.”

Firefighters found the body of Ileen Hyemme Shane, 54, crumpled by the elevator in her bathrobe and slippers, clutching her purse.

“It appears she tried to make it out of the facility, as evidenced by the fact she had her purse with her,” said Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Scott Carrier. “She was overcome by the flames, the fire, the smoke or all of the above.”

The cause of the fire, which caused an estimated $125,000 in damage, was under investigation, said Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells.

The fire in Building E of the seven-building Owensmouth Gardens at 6300 Owensmouth Ave. was reported at 2:46 a.m., Wells said.

It took 64 firefighters 34 minutes to douse the flames, he said.

The fire was confined to a third-floor sitting room and hallway.

Owensmouth Gardens is owned and operated by the Housing Authority of Los Angeles, and is federally funded.