BRENTWOOD—On Monday, June 29, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a high-rise fire to a residential building in Brentwood, where they performed over a dozen rescues which included air evacuations via helicopter.
The fire occurred at 8:37 a.m. on 11740 Wilshire Blvd. to the Barrington Plaza tower. Crew members responded to the blaze after previously fighting another fire that started at 6:30 a.m. and was only a few 100 yards away on Wilshire Boulevard, according to alerts provided by the LAFD.
Firefighters extinguished the flame in 73 minutes with 335 ground and air personnel. In total, 11 individuals and 3 firefighters endured injuries. One individual was in grave condition and another was critical. Aside from four patients released on the scene, the remaining were taken to the hospital. A three-month-year-old infant was treated for smoke inhalation that was non-critical.
A blaze burned from the seventh floor of the 26-story residential high-rise. Upon arrival, the LAFD reported a male clinging to the side of the building. A 100-foot aerial ladder was deployed and the crew was able to come close enough to save the male who was attempting to escape the fire.
The LAFD’s Airborne Task Force assisted during the rescues from the high-rise through air evacuations by rescuing 15 people from the rooftop of the building.
The building was deemed unsafe on all floors, forcing 339 occupants to evacuate the structure. Many residents had already left for work before the blaze started.
Damage transpired between the fifth and eighth floors of the building. The building, which was built in 1961, has no sprinkler system because it was built before the requirement was ordered. It passed an inspection in June 2019 and was compliant with fire code regulations.
LAFD Arson Investigators and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire and it is currently active and ongoing.
