#LAFD Fire Rips Through Encino Mansion; Injures 2 LAFD Captains & 2 Firefighters. #CaFire #LAFire

Thursday, October 31, 2013

#LAFD Fire Rips Through Encino Mansion; Injures 2 LAFD Captains & 2 Firefighters. #CaFire #LAFire

Over 100 Los Angeles Firefighters battled a huge blaze raging at an Encino home that injured two Captains and two Firefighters on October 30, 2013.

ENCINO - At 3:44 PM the LAFD received multiple 9-1-1 calls for a Structure Fire burning at 4440 Balboa Boulevard, south of Ventura Boulevard, in the hills northeast of the Encino Reservoir. As firefighters hurried up curvy narrow roads, a daunting plume of smoke could be seen in the distance, prompting responding firefighters to radio, "Loom Up", alerting the additional resources responding there was a working fire. They arrived to find a large three-story above ground Tudor style home at the end of a long steep private driveway with heavy fire on the third story. Additional resources were immediately requested as firefighters began a relentless aggressive interior fire attack.

Firefighter Injuries: Two fire Captains, one with a significant extremity injury and the other with dehydration, and two Firefighter/Paramedics, one with chest pain and the other with a moderate extremity injury were transported to local hospitals. Only one firefighter was released back to duty that day, the others required further evaluation and treatment. No civilians were injured. Two pet dogs were found beyond medical help on the third floor.

Some firefighters had to hike equipment a 1/4 mile uphill to the structure and utilize chainsaws to strategically cut several holes in the sturdy wood shake shingle roof to reduce heat, smoke, fire and gases inside the structure. Additional firefighters ensured no one was inside the burning structure by performing a rapid search and rescue of the 7,779 square-foot home. A group of firefighters formed a Rapid Intervention Company and stood by with Firefighter/Paramedics in the event any of their own needed immediate rescue. Additional companies ensured flames didn't spread to nearby structures or brush, while others protected and saved what the homeowner referred to as "important belongings" in his home office. Firefighters long and relentless attack forced them to utilized entire air bottles, then go outside the blaze to get new bottles so they could reenter the fight.

Over 100 firefighters, under the command of Assistant Chief Patrick Butler, fully extinguished the flames in two hours and 20 minutes. The Los Angeles Fire Department remained on scene through out the night.

The cause of the afternoon blaze is under active investigation and the estimated dollar loss is still being tabulated.

Dispatched Units: E83 RA83 E88 T88 E288 RA88 E109 EM9 BC17 BC10 E100 E293 T93 E39 E93 T39 E239 DC3 EM11 BC15 UR88 T27 E227 UR27 E3 BC5 RA827 E273 T73 E90 RA93 RA100 EM4 H0D H5 EM10 E87 E298 T98 AR2 EA1 RA99 RA39 RM3 E12 E289 T89 E98 E60 RA73 RT83 RA90 T37 E237 BC10 T5 E205

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman

"Serving with Courage, Integrity and Pride"

Public Service Officer

Emergency Public Information (EPI) Center
Los Angeles Fire Department
500 East Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

213.576.8938

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CFN - California Fire News 2013

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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CFN - CALIFORNIA FIRE NEWS - CAL FIRE NEWS

Thursday, October 31, 2013