A man who sustained multiple injuries after being rescued in his duplex residences early Monday died Tuesday in a local Los Angeles Hospital, authorities reported.
Officials at the Los Angeles Fire Department say the man was sleeping when the fire broke out at his residence in South Park Duplex on West 50th Street. The fire started at around 1:30 a.m., authorities added.
The victim, identified as a local resident in his sixties, sustained "some significant burns" and subsequently suffocated from smoke inhalation. Firefighters safely rescued the victim. Authorities administered CPR before bringing the victim to a local hospital. In its statement, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said the man was already in "grave" condition even as he was rushed to the hospital.
The fire was likely ignited by a cigarette lit from the victim's own residence, officials said. His residence reportedly had two fire alarms. These fire alarms, however, as LAFD reported, were not functioning properly. Authorities found out the alarm system had no battery backups. The wiring was not done correctly as well.
The victim's neighbor, a woman, was also seen vacating from her residence when the fire broke out, authorities said. LAFD officials likewise observed a similar case of faulty smoke alarms in her home.
This tragedy, the seventeenth fire-related case in Los Angeles for this year alone, prompted the fire department to evaluate the conditions of fire alarms and warning systems installed within the neighborhood. Residents were urged to ensure well-functioning smoke alarms are set in placed.
Without a proper functioning fire alarm system, James Moore, an LAPD spokesperson, said dangers are more likely because residents do not have an early warning system.
"You don't have anything to let you know, 'Hey, something's going on here, you better get out,'" Moore added in a statement to local media.
