Fire burns through apartment building in Chinatown; 1 critically injured

A massive fire that burned through the roof of a three-story apartment building in Chinatown left one person in critical condition and dozens of others displaced Friday morning.

Firefighters responded to the incident initially reported to be on North Bunker Hill but updated to the 700 block of West New Depot Street in later Los Angeles Fire Department news alerts around 3:45 a.m.

The fire began in nearby a building that was under construction and then spread to the apartment building, the LAFD stated in the alert.

Sky5 was over the scene at 4:45 a.m. where flames could be seen burning through the roof of the building.

More than 130 firefighters at the scene made an offensive attack on the apartment building, which was searched floor-by-floor for occupants, the Fire Department stated.

Six people were injured, including a 90-year-old man who was hospitalized in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department said. A 55-year-old woman was also taken to the hospital with a non-life-threatening burn injury, and two patients were assessed at the scene and declined ambulance transport.

Firefighters extinguished the blaze in one hour and thirty-six minutes. Crews were still assessing the extent of damage to the buildings.

Area residents told KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos that the building where the fire began was being used as a homeless encampment.

“We knew this was coming and we have told our representatives this was going to happen and they have not listened to us. We have been abandoned and now this is where we are. We have neighbors who are in the hospital,” one neighbor said.

A Fire Department spokesperson at the scene could not confirm whether homeless people were living on the property.

An arson team has arrived to investigate the cause of the fire.

Red Cross personnel were responding to assist the dozens of people who have been unable to return to their apartments.

The fire also left about 1,000 people without power in the neighborhood.

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