Early video from LOUDLABS NEWS of this (Thursday) morning’s fire in an extended stay hotel in the Wilmington neighborhood of South Los Angeles.
A fast-moving fire at a Wilmington hotel that forced people to jump from the second story building appears to be suspicious, investigators said.
One person was killed and 15 others were injured in the blaze, which erupted at 3:13 a.m. at Wilmington Hotel in the corner of Avalon Boulevard and C Street.
The first crews arrived on scene three minutes later.
“When they arrived, they had a significant fire, they had people jumping out of windows,” said a firefighter on scene.
Firefighters say the rapid spreading of the fire is raising some red flags. Arson investigators were called to the scene.
“It was an unusual situation,” LAFD spokesman Daniel Curry said. “You are not usually confronted with jumping people when you get on scene of the incident.”
LAFD Deputy Chief Daren Palacios told KTLA that firefighters had to contend with several obstacles, including bars on the windows and several fences, before entering the building.
A downed power line added to the danger, he said. The power line electrified a fence and exposed firefighters to the risk of electric shock.
LAFD:
Wilmington – Los Angeles Firefighters battled a blaze that broke out April 2, 2015 a hotel, killing a man and injuring 15 other people, including some who leaped out of windows in a desperate effort to escape intense flames.
At 3:13 AM your LAFD responded to a Structure Fire at 111 East C Street. Firefighters arrived on-scene in less than three minutes to find fire blowing out of the two-story 20-unit Wilmington Hotel and occupants jumping from the second story.
Firefighters immediately laddered the building to assist occupants from the second floor and additional firefighters began an aggressive fire attack inside and performed a systematic search for any trapped victims. Rapid medical aid was provided to the injured on the ground.
Over 100 firefighters, under the command of South Bureau Commander Daren Palacios, extinguished the blaze in 50 minutes. Sadly one adult male was determined dead on scene. In addition, a total of 15 patients were injured: 12 were treated and transported (all adults + 1 child), 10 with minor injury and two with moderate to serious injuries. Three patients declined transport to the hospital. The injuries were predominately to the lower extremities from jumping out the second story, no burns.
There were 29 occupants in the hotel at the time of the fire. The non-injured displaced occupants were assisted by LAFD, Red Cross and Council Member Joe Buscaino.
LAFD Arson Investigators are combing through the debris to determine the cause, which remains under active investigation and is deemed suspicious. Today’s fatal fire marked our 3rd Fire Fatality for 2015 and the second structure fire-related. At this time last year we were at 13.
Functional smoke alarms were found.
Dispatched: AR1 BC1 BC11 BC13 BC18 BC4 BC6 DC22 E10 E112 E15 E205 E211 E221 E248 E264 E266 E285 E36 E38 E48 E49 E5 E85 EA2 EM1 EM11 EM13 RA101 RA112 RA264 RA36 RA38 RA5 RA85 T11 T21 T48 T5 T64 T66 T85 UR5 UR88.
