Long Beach fire units responded to reports of a structure fire on the 400 block of Chestnut Avenue that has led to significant injuries to at least two people, displaced 27 residents and damaged two apartment units early morning on July 16.
At the height of the fire, there were 50 firefighters assigned to the incident, and the cause and origin of the fire remain under investigation. No residents were allowed to stay in the building.
Fire units responded to the call at 1:53am and arrived on the scene three minutes later, reporting heavy fire coming from a rear unit on the first floor of a two-story center hallway apartment complex, according to officials.
Firefighters confined the fire to the first floor of the complex, however, another apartment unit directly above the fire sustained significant
smoke damage, and, based on the size of the building and the number of residents that needed assistance, a second alarm was called at 2:03am, with the knockdown of the fire occurring at 2:07am.
Prior to the arrival of Long Beach firefighters, bystanders alerted a Long Beach police officer about the fire, who then requested assistance and was directed toward a back alley where he was met by other neighbors stating that two people were trapped inside the apartment that was on fire, according to officials.
The officer grabbed a four-square-foot piece of wood that was lying on the ground and used it as a pry tool to dislodge the security bars on the window that had trapped both occupants, assisting in the escape of a 41-year-old male, with two other police officers arriving later and saving a 33-year-old female, as well.
Both the male and female victims had sustained significant life-threatening injuries from thermal burns and smoke inhalation and were immediately transported by Long Beach Fire paramedics to a local area hospital for further evaluation and treatment.
The gas was shut off to the entire complex, and the power remains off secondary to the power outage, as one gas meter feeds the entire building and thus individual apartment units could not be isolated for restoration of service. Electricity and gas will remain off until the building can be safely returned to full operation.
Red Cross resources were requested and have since arrived on the scene to provide family supportive measures for those impacted by the incident and were subsequently displaced by the fire.
