On Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 8:26 PM, eleven Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, five LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one Heavy Rescue, one Arson Unit, one Urban Search and Rescue Unit, one Helicopter, three EMS Battalion Captains, four Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, all under the direction of Assistant Chief Terrance Manning responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire with Civilian Fatality at 1300 North Kenter Avenue in Brentwood.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find a 2,438 square foot, 2-story, single family home fully involved with fire. In addition, homes on either side of the residence were threatened by fire and radiant heat.

Firefighters immediately deployed handlines to provide structure protection to the surrounding homes. Working in concert, additional Firefighters attacked the fire on the interior of the home, on both the first and second floors. Firefighters experienced extreme heat and fire conditions fueled by heavy interior storage during the firefighting operations.

It took 90 Firefighters 33 minutes to gain control of the fire. During firefighting operations it was initially reported by neighbors that an elderly couple were presumed home at the time of the blaze.

Firefighters discovered an adult female within the home, where she was declared deceased. A pet dog also perished in the flames.

Due to the extensive fire damage, firefighters worked for hours in search of the adult male resident, who was later determined to be safely out of state at the time of the fire.

Though the property owner declared the presence of smoke alarms within the 36 year-old residence, their location and functional status at the time of the fire could not be immediately determined due to fire damage.

A positive identity of the deceased woman, as well as the cause, time and manner of her death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.

Monetary loss from the fire is estimated at $700,000 ($400,000 structure & $300,000 contents).

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

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Submitted by Ron Myers, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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