2 Boys Burned in Home Fire, 4 Others Hurt

A 14-year-old boy suffered severe burns to his hands, back and face in a fire early Wednesday at a Woodland Hills apartment, authorities said.

The fire, which started shortly before 8 a.m., was doused in about 20 minutes by 50 firefighters sent to the three-story building in the 22000 block of Collins Street, said Jim Wells of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The boy, who sustained first-, second- and third-degree burns to his back, hands and face, was hospitalized in serious condition, Wells said.

A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with superficial burns to his face and hair, and a 70-year-old woman who had an anxiety attack was treated and released. A 32-year-old woman, a 43-year-old maintenance worker and two LAPD officers who came to aid tenants were treated for smoke inhalation, Wells said. None of the injuries was considered life-threatening.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Damage to the structure and contents was estimated at $90,000, Wells said.