Firefighters battled flames in a fully-engulfed one-story house that appeared to be vacant. After eliminating the blaze, two patients were found inside. One was transported in unknown condition, and sadly, another was deceased.

A 9-1-1 call to LAFD's emergency dispatch center was placed at 6:14 AM on February 13, 2024, with reports of smoke coming from the rear of a property on the 4900 block of South Sycamore Drive in the Del Rey neighborhood of Los Angeles City. As firefighters rushed to don their gear and get on the fire apparatus, additional phone calls came in to dispatchers reporting the flames were quickly growing.

Thirty-seven LAFD Firefighters responded, along with crews from Culver City Fire Department in automatic aid. Firefighters arrived to find a one-story boarded-up house with heavy fire showing. Crews extended hose lines to the structure and mounted an aggressive attack on the flames. Other homes, trees, and vegetation surrounded the burning structure, as firefighters defended against encroaching flames. The blaze was contained to the unit-of-origin by a coordinated effort between responders, after 41 minutes.

As the last remaining fire was eliminated, crews found two people inside. An approximately 50-year-old female was pulled from the charred house by rescuers. Paramedics initiated care and quickly transported her to a local hospital in critical condition. Sadly, the other patient was beyond medical help. Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety had previously red-tagged this building, declaring it unsafe to enter. LAFD Arson investigators, LAPD, and Medical Examiner are investigating the circumstances surrounding this death.