Residents escaped through windows and firefighters helped them climb down ladders to avoid smoke and fire early Tuesday at a burning South Los Angeles apartment.
Los Angeles firefighters placed ladders against the side of the building to help people climb out of second-floor windows. A man and woman were hospitalized with burns after the rescue from the burning apartment at about 2 a.m. in the 7800 block of San Pedro Street.
Several residents who escaped described the intense heat and said the injured couple tried to fight the fire with a hose. Residents credited the couple with helping them escape.
"As soon as we opened the door, it was like the devil was knocking at our door," said resident Taja Hayden. "It was like right there, and I felt like can't nobody save us."
Details regarding the victims' conditions were not immediately available.
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Arson investigators responded to the apartment and used dogs to search the debris.
Fire officials described the fire as appearing "suspicious in nature" after a preliminary investigation.
Details regarding a cause were not immediately available.
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