2 residents critically injured in Long Beach apartment fire

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Two people were hospitalized in critical condition following a fire at an apartment building in Long Beach early Thursday morning.

Long Beach fire officials said the blaze ignited shortly before 2 a.m. in the 400 block of Chestnut Avenue.

Police officers who were patrolling the area were flagged down by a resident who informed them of the fire at the Fairmont Apartments.

One of the officers found two people trapped in a bedroom in an apartment in the rear of the structure. Officials said there were metal security bars on the windows which prevented the two from escaping the flames.

That officer used a 4-by-4 piece of wood to pry the bars open. He was able to get one of the trapped individuals, a 41-year-old man, out of the apartment. Two other officers arrived on scene and were able to get the second resident, a 33-year-old woman, out.

"I think the fact that they were able to be in proximity and were able to think and act decisively to save life, it really is a testament to their courage and their character," said Long Beach Fire Department spokesman Jake Heflin.

The two were transported to a local hospital to be treated for life-threatening injuries. They were listed in critical condition.

Firefighters made quick work of the fire, putting out the flames in under 10 minutes.

All 20 apartment units in the two-story building share one gas meter, which had to be shut down. Also, the structure already had no power due to an outage caused by an underground electrical fire in the area Wednesday night.

The Red Cross was assisting the displaced residents - 27 adults and four children. Officials said all of the displaced individuals were able to find a place to stay for the night.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. One theory being considered is the possibility that the blaze was caused by candles used during the power outage.