A structure fire that broke out in a University Park apartment building yesterday afternoon claimed the life of one individual, the Los Angeles Fire Department reports. According to an initial alert from the LAFD, firefighters were dispatched at 01:51 PM to 2353 S Portland St, where they encountered smoke billowing from the second floor of a two-story apartment building situated atop parking.
The LAFD transitioned into offensive mode to tackle the blaze, which was poised dangerously in a densely populated urban area. In a subsequent report by the Department, it was noted that an updated account of the building indicated it to be three stories, correcting the earlier report's description. Firefighters swiftly extinguished the flames in one unit on the second floor, but the incident took a somber turn when one victim was discovered during the search.
In their updates on the firefighting efforts, officials confirmed that 47 firefighters responded to the scene and achieved a knockdown of the fire by 02:10 PM. "While conducting a primary search during their fire attack, firefighters located a victim in the involved unit," the LAFD statement articulated. Tragically, the individual found at the location was beyond medical help and pronounced deceased at the scene.
LAFD Arson investigators have taken up the cause investigation, which is standard protocol for any fire with a fatality. The identity of the deceased, as well as the cause of death, will be determined by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office. For further inquiries and media availability, LAFD PIO Captain Adam VanGerpen provided a response to the scene.
