41 Residents Displaced When Fire Damages 3 Houses in Pico-Union
41 Residents Displaced When Fire Damages 3 Houses in Pico-Union: Los Angeles firefighters Wednesday evening knocked down fires that damaged three houses in the Pico-Union neighborhood and displaced 41 residents, officials said.
The initial blaze was reported about 4:50 p.m. outside a light-colored home at 1232 Bonnie Brae St. and quickly spread to two adjacent structures. The blazes were knocked down about an hour and 15 minutes later.
Heavy fire was reported in the attic one home, described as a brick-red Craftsman-style house, and the roof was compromised and partially collapsed, aerial video from Sky5 showed.
The light-colored home housed three residences, while the red house and a house located behind it both had two residences within the structures, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Fire officials reported that several people were climbing out of windows upon the arrival of firefighters.
Fidel Esperanza, who lives in the red house, said through an interpreter that he was watching TV when he heard an explosion and soon saw smoke outside.
He wasn’t able to get out of the house through the front door, so he had to jump out of a window and was able to get down from a tree.
He injured his leg, but was concerned about not being able to get anything out of his home.
“We’re left with nothing,” Esperanza said.
Aerial video showed firefighters on the roof of the second and third home as smoke billowed out.
The street was closed during the firefight and motorists are being asked to avoid the area.
Several fire trucks surrounded the home as firefighters continued to battle the blazes. Onlookers also gathered in adjacent homes and streets to watch the action.
The displaced residents were taken to Fire Station 13 on W. Pico Boulevard where firefighters were providing shelter and food until the Red Cross was able to place them, Stewart said.
The cause of the blazes is under investigation.
Source : http://ktla.com/2016/08/10/crews-respond-to-house-fire-in-pico-union/
