1 dead after fire breaks out at historic high-rise in downtown Los Angeles

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One person died after a fire broke out at a historic 12-story high-rise in downtown Los Angeles early Tuesday morning.

The flames erupted around 2 a.m. on West 5th Street at the Rosslyn Hotel, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. More than 100 firefighters responded to the scene and most people living in the building were ordered to shelter in place.

"The fire was very challenging due to the fact that it was on the seventh floor... When we have a building on fire, can't use the elevators. We had to track all of our equipment up seven floors," said David Ortiz with the LAFD.

Once the fire was extinguished, firefighters found one person dead in one of the units. That person has not been identified.

No other deaths or injuries were reported.

Fire officials said the sprinklers in the building were functioning at the time, but a couple of units sustained fire damage.

An arson unit was assisting with the investigation into the cause of the fire.