San Pedro, CA -
Fourteen people were injured today, three critically, in a residential hotel fire that was "criminal in nature,'' authorities said. The fire at the San Pedro Inn at 1001 S. Palos Verdes St. was reported at 3:31 a.m. and knocked down in 34 minutes, the Los Angeles Fire Department
reported.
(CNS) The fire "is being treated as criminal in nature'' and arson investigators were summoned to the scene, LAFD Capt. Jaime Moore said. A damage estimate was not immediately available.
Fourteen people were treated at the scene for injuries, and 12 of them were transported for hospital treatment, three in critical condition, Moore said. One of the critically injured patients suffered severe burns, he said.
Among those transported was a police officer who suffered smoke inhalation trying to get people out of the building, and a person who was injured jumping from the second story of the two-story building, Moore said. A total of 150 firefighters responded to the 14-unit, center-hall
building, which was built in 1923, he said.
Firefighters who were returning from a medical call on 12th Street saw flames coming from one of the building's units and called for additional crews even before anyone called 911, Moore said.
Crews quickly began extending ladders to the second floor while mounting an interior attack using hose lines and ventilating the roof, Scott said. "It could have been worse,'' Scott said. "Every second that passes in a large fire, the intensity increases extremely fast.''
