Flames Engulf Unit in Rosslyn High Rise Hotel Leaving 1 Dead in Downtown Los Angeles

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 (KNN) – A fire that engulfed a unit on the seventh floor of the Rosslyn Hotel left one person deceased early Tuesday morning.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire shortly after 2 a.m. on the 100 block of 5th Street in downtown Los Angeles. Firefighters arrived to find smoke billowing from a 12-story hotel built in the early 1900s.

The fire was located on the seventh floor of the Rosslyn Hotel, and crews were informed that there may be people trapped inside the affected unit. Firefighters encountered challenges in accessing the unit. They were forced to enter an adjacent unit and break through a wall in order to reach the fire.

In an update around 2:15 a.m., crews had not yet gained access to the unit due to what they described as packrat conditions and a possible body blocking the door. Firefighters continued to work on the incident.

Knockdown was achieved in 50 minutes with over 100 firefighters on the scene. No injuries were initially reported. The incident remained active until all crews had cleared the smoke from all floors, according to the LAFD.

The LAFD reported that the majority of residents were sheltered in place.

Shortly before 3:30 a.m., LAFD Spokesperson Margaret Stewart reported that additional resources were at the scene to assist in completing the work. The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety was en route to evaluate the building’s ability to accommodate residents.

Firefighters located a deceased victim in the fire unit shortly after 3:30 a.m., reported Stewart.

The LAFD Arson unit was on the scene to assist in the investigation into the cause of the fire.

There are no further details at this time.

Jason Stilwell, Video Journalist / KNN