FAIRCREST HEIGHTS – A male in his 70’s, two dogs and a bird were found dead in a burning home Sunday afternoon.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 4:51 PM on August 24, 2014 to the report of a structure fire at 1568 South Point View Street in the Faircrest Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Firefighters arrived quickly to find heavy smoke showing from the attic of a one story 1,544 square-foot home.

Access was difficult due to excessive storage in front yard, back yard, roof and throughout the 80 year old residence. During fire attack, LAFD responders discovered a man without vital signs of life, who was later determined to be dead at the scene.

Ninety-seven firefighters under the command of Battalion Chief Kevin Pearson were able to fully extinguish the flames in just 31 minutes. Two dogs and a pet bird also succumbed in the fire. No other injuries were reported.

Firefighters found no evidence of functional smoke alarms inside the residence. The home was heavily damaged by the fire, and was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers.

A positive identification of the victim, as well as the cause, time and manner of his death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

As LAFD Arson Investigators were seeking the cause of the fire, firefighters canvassed the neighborhood as part of the LAFD’s Smoke Alarm Field Education (SAFE) Program, distributing free smoke alarms and fire safety information.

Monetary loss from the fire is still being tabulated. The cause of the blaze remains under active investigation.

Dispatched Units: E58 RA858 E68 E261 T61 RA61 E292 T92 EM11 BC18 E62 E61 E294 T94 E43 DC1 BC11 RA68 E34 E237 T37 EM1 BC1 T5 E205 E5 UR5 UR88 BC4 E26 AR2 AR1 RT59 RA892 AR11 RA894 AR21 AR13 E58 T94 E294 AR21

Submitted by Shawn Lenske, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department warmly welcome you to join civic and community leaders, including Fire Chief Douglas Barry, at the public dedication and grand opening of the LAFD's newest Neighborhood Fire Station. Saturday, August 16, 2008 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM New Fire Station 43 3690 Motor Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90034 We are pleased to offer an interactive map with driving directions to this new facility, which is now in service protecting the Palms neighborhood and nearby westside communities. Following Saturday's dedication ceremony, there will be food and entertainment as well as a chance to tour Southern California's newest Fire Station. All members of the community are welcomed to this family-themed public event. A Brief History of Fire Station 43... Housing an Engine Company and Paramedic Rescue Ambulance, and protecting a 4.3 square-mile district centered in Palms, new Fire Station 43 replaces a cramped and inefficient facility on National Boulevard that opened in 1942.

Former Fire Station 43 was designed prior to World War II, and built at the height of the battle to house no more than four male firefighters and two limited-role (now antique) fire apparatus to serve a residential neighborhood. Constructed for $35,000 on a 100' x 103' lot, the sixty-six year old former facility was deemed deficient in meeting modern seismic safety, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing, Building Code, ADA and separate gender accommodation issues. In fact, when built, the first crew assigned to the former station (some of whom joined the LAFD in 1922) boasted of working in one of the few Fire Stations heated by the modern marvel of "air forced across hot water pipes from a 200 gallon storage tank". LAFD operational and societal advances over nearly seven decades made that 4,885 square-foot station and only slightly larger parcel of land inadequate for providing timely and effective response to a community that now includes sizeable commercial and industrial properties as well as large multi-story apartments and filming industries. A New Fire Station for Palms... The new energy-efficient 15,250 square foot Fire Station 43 is built on a one acre site, and is designed to address modern response needs while bringing efficiency to LAFD's workforce - and therefore convenience and enhanced service to a vibrant neighborhood we've long been proud to be a part of.
View Larger Map (you can also click, grab and zoom the map above!) Los Angeles Firefighters know that neighborhood safety demands community interaction. The ability of Fire Station 43 to now host community functions and training events in the new station's community room will allow Neighborhood Firefighters an even closer and more productive relationship with those they proudly serve. The energy efficient 6-bay facility also features an important "drive through" feature that prevents the need to block traffic on busy Motor Avenue when rehousing Fire Department vehicles. We encourage you to learn more about new Fire Station 43 and the many Fire Department facilities being modernized through Proposition F by viewing a highly detailed on-line Monthly Progress Report. We look forward to seeing you in Palms on Saturday, August 16, 2008. Please don't forget your camera! Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman Los Angeles Fire Department