A garage fire in Pacoima left one woman dead and another hospitalized in critical condition with severe burns, authorities said March 28.
Pacoima is about 23 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
The fire was reported at 10:27 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters responded to 13574 Gager St., near Laurel Canyon Boulevard, where they found flames leaping from the roof of the detached garage at the rear of the home, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange.
The garage had been converted to a living space, Prange said.
Firefighters forced open the garage door to battle the blaze.
“With flames blowing through the roof, they were able to rescue a 39-year-old female with special needs who sustained severe burn injuries and was transported to a local hospital in critical condition,'' Prange said.
When more firefighters arrived, they discovered another woman inside, Prange said. “She was determined dead at the scene by firefighter-paramedics.'’
Her identity was not immediately available.
It took 32 firefighters 20 minutes to put out the fire. The cause was under investigation.
“There was no immediate evidence of the garage being equipped with functional smoke alarms as required by law for a living space,'' Prange said.
“The structure was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers,” he added.
