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Elm Avenue Apartment Fire
By frhayes | July 3, 2009
On Friday, July 3, 2009 at 1:36 P.M. Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) units Battalion Chief 3, Engine 9, Engine 7, Engine 11, Truck 7, Rescue 9, and Truck 11, responded to a reported Apartment Fire at 3455 ELM AVE, LONG BEACH, CA 90807.
Engine 9, the first arriving unit, arrived within 4 minutes from the time of dispatch and gave an initial report of smoke showing from the 3 story center court yard apartment complex. Engine 9’s crew pulled a hose line into the center court yard on the first floor and advanced into a single unit for extinguishment and for a search of the unit for any residents. Additional crews assisted with extinguishment of the fire, ventilation of smoke from the unit, and salvage and overhaul of the contents in the unit.
A search of the unit revealed that it was “All Clear” of any occupants; an approximately 50-year-old female who lived in the unit was interviewed by LBFD personnel outside of the structure. She indicated that she had been cooking prior to the fire and that hot oil had ignited causing the fire.
This fire was held in check to only the unit involved by the LBFD, however substantial damage did occur causing the female and her approximate 20-year-old son to be displaced. While the Red Cross was being contacted to assist the occupants with their needs, the complex management offered another unit to them in the same complex for their use.
This complex did not have sprinklers, however it did have a “Hose Cabinet” close by the unit, which the pre-connected hose was removed from, but not used by residents. It also did have smoke detectors in the unit; it is unknown if they were working properly, or if they alerted the occupants to the fire.
There were no injuries to occupants or firefighters involved with the incident, which occurred in council district # 7. A total of 9 apparatus and 23 personnel responded to this call, and worked on this incident for approximately one and half hours.
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