Tragedy Strikes Sunland Neighborhood
Tragedy struck a Sunland neighborhood when a structure fire injured occupants and a neighbor lost his life.
At 9:33PM, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 10700 block of N Big Bend Av in Sunland for reports of a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a one story, single family dwelling with heavy fire showing from the attached garage.
While the fire attack aggressively battled the flames, firefighters outside the structure found three different patients. The two occupants at home (four live in the residence) suffered injuries; a 49 year old female with minor burns and an 89 year old female with difficulty breathing. A 65 year old male, believed to be a neighbor trying to be helpful outside the structure, was discovered on the ground in full cardiac arrest. Firefighters immediately initiated life-saving medical care and provided rapid transport to the hospital. Unfortunately, he was later pronounced dead by the medical staff.
The 31 firefighters on scene, under the leadership of Battalion Chief Albert Ward, fully extinguished the flames in 18 minutes. They prevented the fire from extending into the main structure, limiting the damage to the home. However, all four occupants were displaced and the American Red Cross responded to provide assistance. The Mayor’s Crisis Response Team tended to those suffering the emotional trauma of the unfolding events.
The structure was found to have functional smoke alarms and LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section is actively investigating the cause.
