On Tuesday, November 26, 2008 at 2:54 AM, 6 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Wes Elder responded to a Trapped Person at 218 N. Soto Street in Boyle Heights.

Firefighters arrived to find a palm tree that had plunged into a single family dwelling, waking one resident and trapping another. The men and women of Los Angeles Fire went to work assessing one 56 year old resident who had sustained minor injuries, due to falling drywall debris. She was immediately treated at the scene and transported to an area hospital, with no complaint of significant injury, for observation only.

Simultaneously, firefighters facilitated access to a 29 year old female, found in her bedroom, who had been trapped by the enormous crown portion of the palm tree. She was conscious and cooperative as rescuers utilized their equipment and training to knockdown a portion of a wall and free her legs from their entrapment. The operation, lead by Heavy Rescue 56 and Urban Search and Rescue 3, proved to be arduous yet, it took firefighters just over an hour to stabilize the woman, treat her on scene and transport her to an area hospital with minor injuries.

Building and Safety was requested by the Incident Commander and damage to the house is being assessed. One firefighter sustained a minor injury to his hand that did not require transport.


Submitted by Melissa Kelley, Spokesperson
Los Angeles Fire Department