On Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at 7:51 PM, 20 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, seven LAFD Rescue Ambulances, three Arson Units, two Urban Search and Rescue Units, one Hazardous Materials Team, three EMS Battalion Captains, four Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, one Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief Terrance Manning responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 421 S. La Fayette Park Pl. in La Fayette Park.

During the initial 911 call for help, and prior to the arrival of Firefighters, the LAFD Firefighter Dispatcher, drawing upon years of field experience, was able to successfully give life saving directions to a woman trapped on the fire floor within the smoke filled structure.

While talking with her on her cell phone, the Dispatcher was able to direct the woman to remain calm, check the door for heat (which would indicate fire in the hallway) before opening it, to get as low to the floor as possible to breathe, and exit towards and into an adjacent stairwell.

Fortunately, the woman was able to escape from the smoke charged building without sustaining life threatening injuries.

As Firefighters arrived, they reported a six-story garden style condominium complex with fire and heavy smoke showing from one unit on the 3rd floor. Firefighters using handlines made an aggressive attack on the fire, encountering a tremendous volume of heavy smoke and heat on the fire floor. Quick and skillful teamwork by 142 members of the LAFD extinguished the blaze in thirty-four minutes.

During firefighting operations a fifty year old male was rescued from the fire unit and was subsequently transported to Good Samaritan Hospital in critical condition with severe smoke inhalation where he was declared deceased by hospital personnel. An adult female was treated for a head injury and transported to Kaiser Hospital.

Approximately 7 people were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross. Monetary loss from the fire is still being tabulated, and The cause of the fire remains under active investigation.

Listen to the 911 call.....





Submitted by Brian Ballton and Ron Myers, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

Tags: LA, Los Angeles, LAFD, Los Angeles Fire Department