A woman was killed and two other people were hospitalized in critical condition after being found inside a burning 113-year-old one-story home in Boyle Heights early Thursday morning.
Fire crews responded at 4:24 a.m. Thursday to 742 S. St. Louis St., at Boyle Avenue and east of the Golden State (5) Freeway, where they found the residence consumed with flames, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
One of the residence’s occupants — a woman — was found outside on the porch and pronounced dead at the scene, Stewart said.
During a search of the building, firefighters located two victims, described as an elderly man and woman, and pulled them out in critical condition. Paramedics took them to a hospital.
Two other residents of the home were outside when firefighters arrived and were evaluated for any injuries. One of them, described a male, was taken to a hospital in fair condition.
A total of 54 firefighters were able to contain and extinguish the fire in 25 minutes, Stewart said.
“There was no immediate evidence of a functional smoke alarm in the 1,200-square foot home,” fire officials said in a news statement. `The 113-year-old structure was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers.”
As is department protocol, LAFD’s Arson Investigation Section will be in charge of investigating the cause of the fire.