LOS ANGELES, CA — A fire broke out Wednesday morning at a garden-style apartment building in the 200 block of South Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills, forcing residents to evacuate and leaving two firefighters injured as crews worked in unusually hot and humid conditions.
The Beverly Hills Fire Department responded to the fire at about 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 9. Residents were able to get out of the building safely, while the intensity of the fire eventually led to a partial collapse of the roof.
Two firefighters were taken to a hospital for treatment. One was treated for heat exhaustion, while the other suffered a minor burn, according to the information provided by fire officials.
The conditions added another challenge to an already difficult response. Firefighters were working in heavy protective equipment while dealing with both the heat generated by the fire and the unusually warm, humid weather outside.
Residents evacuated as fire damaged apartment building
The fire forced residents of the multi-unit building onto the street as flames spread through the structure.
Neighboring homes were also affected by the emergency response, with nearby residents evacuated as firefighters worked to contain the fire and protect surrounding properties.
Among those forced from the building were Scott Prisland and his wife, Marnie. Prisland had lived in one of the four units for about 30 years.
Despite losing many belongings, the couple was able to recover some particularly important items. Firefighters managed to pull family photo albums from the apartment, as well as a Tony Award Prisland had recently won for the Broadway musical Schmigadoon!.
Prisland credited the firefighters for getting residents out and recovering those belongings while the building was burning.
He also expressed concern for neighbors who were dealing with their own losses after the fire.
Heat created additional challenge for firefighters
The combination of the fire and the weather made the response especially demanding for crews.
Beverly Hills Fire Department Battalion Chief Jr. Berardinelli explained that firefighters carry substantial protective equipment, including turnout gear and self-contained breathing apparatus, while working in conditions where body temperatures can rise quickly.
The department’s emergency-response operation is responsible for fire, rescue, medical and other emergency services in Beverly Hills. The city’s fire department also conducts pre-planning for properties considered high-risk or subject to special hazards. The Beverly Hills Fire Department’s emergency-response information outlines those responsibilities.
The city also maintains a Community Risk Reduction division focused on reducing fire losses, enforcing applicable safety codes and conducting fire-safety inspections. Its responsibilities include inspections of apartment buildings, schools and other occupied properties.
Beverly Vista Middle School sheltered in place
The apartment fire also prompted a temporary safety measure at nearby Beverly Vista Middle School.
The school was located a short distance from the burning building, and students were instructed to shelter in place while firefighters battled the flames.
Lauren Santillana, a Beverly Hills public information officer, said the shelter-in-place order was lifted once the area was considered safe for students.
The school also provided space where firefighters could cool down during the response, particularly important as crews dealt with the combination of protective equipment, fire conditions, heat and humidity.
The incident therefore affected more than the residents of the apartment building itself. The emergency response also temporarily changed operations for people in neighboring properties and at the nearby school.
Fire investigation continues
The cause of the fire remains unclear.
Authorities have not released a cause for the blaze, and the available information does not establish what initially started the fire.
The damage to the apartment building, the displacement of residents and the injuries to firefighters occurred during a response that required crews to balance fire suppression with the safety of personnel working inside and around a damaged structure.
The Beverly Hills Fire Department’s fire inspection program is responsible for fire-safety inspections involving multi-family residences and other properties in the city. The department says those inspections are intended to identify and correct potential fire and life-safety violations and to reduce the risk of loss of life and property.
For the residents displaced by Wednesday’s fire, however, the immediate issue is the damage to their homes and the loss of personal belongings. For firefighters, the response also resulted in two hospital evaluations after they were injured while working at the scene.
The investigation into what caused the fire remains ongoing.
