1 killed in West Hollywood 3-alarm fire

A homeless man died early Thursday after being pulled from a three-alarm fire inside an abandoned building in West Hollywood.

Los Angeles County firefighters were called to the 9000 block of West Santa Monica Boulevard just before midnight when someone reported seeing smoke and flames shooting from an abandoned commercial space across from the Troubadour nightclub, said fire Inspector Chris Reade.

The building looked like it had long been abandoned, Reade said. Firefighters encountered boarded-up windows and “packrat-type” conditions inside, which made it difficult to get in, he said.

When firefighters did finally make it inside, they found a man in cardiac arrest. He was taken to a hospital, where he died, authorities said.

The building appeared to be a homeless encampment with multiple residents, Reade said.

“No other homeless persons are coming back to the scene to claim their stuff. We were hoping someone would so we could get some more information,” Reade said.

It took more than an hour and about 70 firefighters to put out the blaze. The Sheriff’s Department’s homicide and arson investigators are at the scene looking into the fire’s cause, which appeared suspicious.

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