Fatality Fire in Panorama City

Firefighters battled heavy fire in a townhouse in Panorama City early this morning which took the life of a woman and sent three people to the hospital.

At 3:31AM on December 28, 2024 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 9200 block of N Wakefield Ave in Panorama City.

Firefighters arrived to find a row of two-story townhomes with one unit well involved in fire. With reports on scene of people possibly trapped inside the burning home, crews initiated an aggressive offensive fire attack to both rescue any victims and defend the exposed units.

Crews found fire had already extended into the attic and was spreading through a second (attached) townhouse. With additional resources enroute, fire attack continued in both structures, searching for victims as they progressed through the homes. Firefighters located an adult female in a downstairs bedroom of the primary unit who was beyond medical help and determined dead on scene.

Outside, firefighter/paramedics located and assessed three patients who evacuated the primary fire unit prior to LAFD arrival. A 20 year-old male, 68 year-old male and 83 year-old female were all transported in fair condition.

Over 70 firefighters, working under the command of Assistant Chief Luis Aldana, extinguished the fire in 43 minutes. Two townhouses sustained significant damage and were 'red-tagged' as unsafe for occupancy by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). The Mayor's Crisis Response Team (CRT) was requested to provide assistance to the affected family. The Los Angeles American Red Cross is also responding to help with the immediate needs for any displaced occupants.

Per protocol for a fatality fire, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section (ACTS) is conducting a cause investigation. Smoke alarms were present in the home but it is unclear if they were functioning at the time. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner will determined identity and cause of death for the victim.