Firefighters rescued four people after a fire broke out inside a multi-family home in Los Angeles’ Koreatown Friday morning.
The fire was reported at around 8:40 a.m. in the 420 block of S. Gramercy Place.
When fire crews responded to the two-story four-plex with a basement, they located multiple lithium-ion batteries in the basement, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Video from the fire department showed heavy smoke coming from the building, and the interiors of the multi-family home, which was converted into 20 units, was heavily charred. Fire officials estimate there were about 20 families living inside the building.
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Among the four people rescued, one of them was pulled from the basement and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Another person had to be rescued through a second-story window, and fire crews used a ladder to help the person come down and provided medical aid for smoke inhalation.
A preliminary investigation showed that fire may have started in the basement with some extension into the first floor.
More than 70 firefighters were sent to the location to put out the flames in 30 minutes. No firefighter was injured.
