Tenants and guests rushed from a burning hotel overnight as firefighters converged on the building to battle a blaze that left one person dead and four people injured.
Two victims were in grave condition and one suffered critical injuries in the fire that burned on both floors of the Venice Hotel in the Mid City area of Los Angeles.
Firefighters were called to the hotel at 8686 Venice Boulevard, near Cattaraugus Avenue, just after 2 a.m. and discovered fire burning in several rooms, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“I saw smoke when I looked out my door, so I started running to everybody’s door and knocking on their door yelling, ‘Fire, fire, fire.’ Three minutes later, it would’ve been too late,” Tamu Khalfani, who lives at the hotel, said.
Resident Narayana Cabral captured his search for his mom on cellphone video.
One person was declared dead at the scene. A man and woman were listed in grave condition and one person was in critical condition. All three were taken to a hospital. After the fire was extinguished, a man sought medical care from paramedics for cuts he suffered, Humphrey said. The ages and names of those taken to a hospital were not disclosed.
No firefighters were injured.
A total of 105 firefighters extinguished the flames in 39 minutes and a knockdown was declared at 2:43 a.m., Humphrey said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Source: NBC Los Angeles