At 5:56 p.m., five Companies of Los Angeles City Firefighters, two Rescue Ambulances, two Arson Units, one EMS Battalion Captain, and one Battalion Chief Officer Command Team all under the direction of Battalion Chief Timothy Kerbrat responded to a Structure Fire With A Civilian Fatality at 1524 E. 54th St. in South Los Angeles.
Firefighters arrived to find a single family dwelling well involved with fire showing. As firefighters began advancing a firefighting handline through an unlocked, front security door, they noticed a badly burned body just inside the front threshold. Firefighters removed the victim to the porch, passing patient care on to waiting paramedics. Firefighters continued an aggressive attack on the seat of the fire, controlling the incident in only thirteen minutes.
Unfortunately, the eighty-five year-old patient had suffered significant burns and had succumb to his injuries. Paramedics examined the patient and determined the patient to be deceased at the scene. During the fire investigation, it was determined that the residence lacked working smoke alarms. The fire and subsequent fatality is currently under investigation by Fire Department and Law Enforcement authorities. The dollar loss has been estimated at $65,000, ($40,000 Structure and $25,000 Contents). There were no other injuries reported.