[symple_googlemap title=”Haskell fire” location=”6825 Haskell Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406″ height=”300″ zoom=”15″]
Updated 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18, 2015
A 29-year-old woman and her 2-year-old son escaped serious injury Sunday when an electrical fire involving a still-decorated Christmas tree broke out in an apartment in Van Nuys, authorities said.
The fire in a third-story unit of a three-story apartment building at 6825 Haskell Avenue, just north of Vanowen Street, was reported at 3:48 p.m., according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Thirty-seven firefighters responded and knocked down the flames in 16 minutes, he said.
The fire was contained to one apartment in the 28-unit building, Humphrey said.
The woman was treated at the scene for heat and smoke exposure and both she and her son were taken to a hospital for further evaluation, he said.
Early reports from the scene indicated the woman suffered burn injuries, but that was not the case, Humphrey said.
Firefighters took a semi-conscious cat out of the burning apartment, but upon receiving comfort, reassurance and a bit of oxygen, the feline perked up and appeared to be in good condition, Humphrey said.
The estimated monetary damage was $25,000 — $15,000 to the structure and $10,000 to its contents, Humphrey said.
“The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical, involving the family’s still-decorated Christmas tree, which fervidly fueled the blaze,” Humphrey said.
— City News Service