VAN NUYS (CNS) — An infant and the girl’s father were both severely burned and hospitalized in serious condition, and the child’s mother and a toddler suffered minor injuries in a house fire in Van Nuys, a fire official said.
Firefighters were dispatched at 10:43 a.m., on Sept. 27, to a 1,124 sq. ft. home at 14302 Kittridge St. and had the fire out within 16 minutes, the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Brian Humphrey said.
The fire sent up a plume of smoke about a quarter-mile north of Victory Boulevard, and about that far east of Van Nuys Boulevard, he said.
Humphrey told City News Service there were seven to nine people living in the home at the time of the fire. Firefighters also found a dead small dog and pet bird inside the home.
“Unfortunately, the animals succumbed to the smoke and flames,” Humphrey said.
The man had significant lacerations and critical burn injuries to up to 20 percent of his body including his arms and face, Humphrey said. The infant had serious burns to her face and arms. The woman had minor burns to her shoulder and a boy toddler had minor burns to his hand.
Firefighters also found only one smoke alarm in the 94-year-old house in a “distant bedroom,” Humphrey continued.
“This is far below the standards we require,” Humphrey said. “There should be a smoke alarm in every bedroom and at least one smoke alarm in the hallway outside the bedrooms. Having just one smoke alarm with multiple bedrooms is very dangerous.”
Humphrey said the single alarm did work and alerted the person in that bedroom to the fire.
That individual then roused the others in the home, but it was not enough to avoid injuries.