1. Smoke filled the neighborhood at the apartment fire. 2. Lincoln Avenue north of Ventura was filled with fire department vehicles. 3. Firefighters gather in front of the retirement home. 4. Sheriff's deputies confer with Altadena Sheriff Capt. John S. Benedict. 5. Firefighters break down equipment after the fire is knocked down. 6. Friends Retirement Center manager Cyril Musson makes a call on the scene of the fire.
by Timothy Rutt
County fire officials confirmed one dead in an apartment fire on Lincoln Avenue Monday afternoon.
Los Angeles County FIre Assistant Chief Nick Duvally said that one apartment unit was entirely engulfed at the Friends Retirement Center, 2691 N. Lincoln Avenue, where the body was found. The call came in at 1:30 PM Monday afternoon.
According to Cyril Musson, manager of the apartment building, the unit's resident, an 81-year-old man, had lived in the apartment for ten years. He also had oxygen tanks in the apartment and was a smoker, Musson said. Musson said that "I was outside with someone and I saw the smoke ... I called out to the tenant, and no answer. It looked like the place was a furnace. Then there was an explosion and fire came roaring out."
Musson described the tenant as "a nice guy ... very helpful, he would water the grass and take care of things." The victim's apartment was one of four units on the top floor of the eight-unit structure.
Duvally described the damage to the apartment unit as "extensive," and "a total loss," with water damage to the attic area. The other seven apartments were evacuated and the fire department is seeing if the other apartments are habitable and is working with the Red Cross to provide alternative housing, if necessary.
