A Wednesday, Jan 29 fire in a West Los Angeles high-rise apartment building injured more than a dozen people, two of them critically, and has already spurred a lawsuit for negligence.
Seven people were hospitalized, including a 3-month-old baby. Three firefighters also received minor injuries.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
The fire of unknown origin started at about 8:37 a.m. on the 7th floor, which is the 6th residential floor, at the Barrington Plaza Apartments on Wilshire Boulevard on the edge of the Brentwood area of the city. More than 330 firefighters responded, and equipment included four Los Angeles Fire Department helicopters that transported numerous people from the burning building to safety.
The fire was contained to a single floor, with damage to additional floors, but the entire building of 240 units and 339 residents is red-tagged due to damage, and the elevators being inoperable. Investigators will re-evaluate to determine livability.
The fire took 90 minutes to knock down and firefighters had it extinguished shortly before 10 a.m.
Arson investigators were on scene — but a cause has not yet been determined.
This is the second fire in seven years in this apartment complex. The previous fire occurred in 2013. The building doesn’t have fire sprinklers and isn’t required to because it was built in 1961 before laws required fire suppression systems. The building passed its most recent inspection in June.
The building is one of 55 Los Angeles high-rises built before 1974 not required to have any fire sprinklers.On Thursday, Jan 30, apartment resident Charles Agozino filed a lawsuit alleging negligence with the Los Angeles Superior Court naming Santa Monica-based Douglas Emmett Inc. and two subsidiaries, according to news reports. The suit asks for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, in addition to a declaration of class-action status.