An early morning blaze in Boyle Heights took the life of a woman, while critically injuring two other persons.

At 4:24AM on December 28, 2023 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 756 South Boyle Avenue in Boyle Heights.  Firefighters arrived to find a one story, single family craftsman-style home well involved in fire, with buildings on two sides exposed to the heat and flames.

Firefighters simultaneously initiated fire attack on the primary structure while putting hose lines in place to defend the exposed buildings from the fire. Downed power lines on three sides of the building created an additional safety hazard for crews to negotiate during their operation.

During their primary search of the burning structure, conducted while performing initial fire attack, firefighters found two victims and pulled them out of the building to awaiting firefighter/paramedics. The elderly man and elderly woman were transported to an area hospital in critical condition. 

The 54 firefighters, operating under the command of Battalion Chief Michael Castillo, extinguished the fire in 25 minutes. Despite intense radiant heat damaging one parked vehicle at a neighboring residence, firefighters prevented all but superficial heat damage to that neighboring two story home to the north, an averted any fire damage at a commercial building to the south.

With one person still reported as missing as the flames were extinguished, firefighters performed a systematic secondary search, locating a third victim on the porch of the fire building. Sadly, the woman proved beyond medical help, and was determined dead at the scene. 

Two additional adult male residents who met first arriving firefighters outside the burning home, were medically evaluated by LAFD Paramedics, with one one taken to an area hospital in fair condition, while the other declined offered ambulance transportation.

There was no immediate evidence of a functional smoke alarm in the 1,200 square foot home. The 113 year-old structure was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers. 

In support of those affected, an American Red Cross Disaster Action Team and L.A. Mayor's Crisis Response Team were deployed to the scene. 

No other injuries were reported.

Per protocol for a fatality fire, the LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section (ACTS) responded and are conducting an ongoing investigation.