1/1/2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEPress Release # 01012017
Subject:
Fatality Fire on the 5500 Block of Dairy Avenue.
At approximately 7:22 PM, Long Beach Fire units responded to reports of a structure fire on the 5500 block of Dairy Avenue. Fire units arrived onscene three minutes later at 7:25 PM. The initial arriving units reported heavy smoke and fire coming from an apartment on the 1st floor of a 2 story garden style apartment complex with 6 units. Firefighters initiated an aggressive fire attack and performed primary search operations. Unfortunately, during this search, a body was discovered. The male patient was assessed by paramedics where the individual was determined deceased. The age of the patient is unknown. The majority of the fire was confined to 1 unit. However, the unit directly above the fire sustained significant smoke damage displacing a family of 5.
Knockdown of the fire and primary search was complete by 7:40 PM. The secondary search was completed by 7:41 PM.
A total of 7 patients were evaluated during the course of this fire. The first patient was the deceased male. The second patient was a 28 year old male that, prior to the arrival of fire department resources, jumped from the 2nd story balcony to escape the fire. This individual sustained extremity injuries that required further treatment and transport to the hospital. The third patient was a 26 year old female that lived in the unit above the fire. She and her 3 children, ages 9, 7, and 4 were evaluated and not in need of any additional assistance. The 28 year old male and 26 year old female with the 3 children are all part of the family of 5 that were displaced by the fire. The seventh patient was a 24 year old female that complained of glass in her leg. She was evaluated and treated onscene by paramedics. This individual did not seek further medical care and was released.
At the height of the fire, there were 30 firefighters assigned to the incident. The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation. Fire investigators and Long Beach Police Detectives are working together to identify the victim and make the appropriate family notifications.