85-year-old man killed in Beverly Grove house fire, LAFD says

BEVERLY GROVE, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- An 85-year-old man was killed in a Tuesday-morning fire at a one-story, single-family home in Beverly Grove, officials said.

Los Angeles Fire Department fire crews responded at 4:03 a.m. to the 800 block of North Crescent Heights Boulevard, between Willoughby and Waring avenues where they found a man and a woman, both 85 years of age, a department spokesperson said.

Firefighters had to use a rotary saw to cut through metal bars on the home's doors and windows, LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said.

Both patients were taken to a hospital, where the man was pronounced dead, according to Scott.

The woman was listed in fair condition at a hospital.

It took 54 firefighters 42 minutes to extinguish the flames, according to the LAFD.

Scott said parts of the home's interior were cluttered, making the firefight more difficult, and there did not appear to be smoke alarms working when crews arrived.

The department's Arson Section will be in charge of investigating the cause of the fire, as is standard in the case of a fatal fire.

City News Service contributed to this report.