One killed, two hospitalized in apparent electrocution at Sawtelle construction site

One person was killed and two others were injured Thursday when rebar at a Sawtelle construction site became electrically energized, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

Thirty firefighters responded to the site in the 12100 block of West Olympic Boulevard near Bundy Drive after receiving reports of a fire on the roof about 12:10 p.m.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames within about 30 minutes, according to LAFD spokesman Nicholas Prange.

“Two of the workers self-evacuated prior to firefighter arrival and a third, sadly, perished,” Prange said in a statement.

Prange could not immediately provide additional details about the injured or deceased workers’ ages or genders. The injured workers were taken to a hospital, he said.

The site of the incident was an under-construction high-rise mostly made of metal, Prange said, although there was some scaffolding and wood decking in the area. Officials do not yet know what caused the electrical hazard, he said.

Southern California Edison and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power were both working to ensure the area was de-energized before firefighters could assist with recovery of the body, Prange said.

About 2,400 customers were affected by the resulting power outages, according to the two agencies.

DWP spokeswoman Carol Tucker said power was expected to be restored quickly.