Four People Rescued (Three By Ladder) From Apt. Blaze, 600 block Magnolia Ave.

(June 21, 2012) -- A witness says bystanders were frantic as a two story apartment building was ablaze in 600 block of Magnolia Ave. with fire and smoke showing from a downstairs unit...and several victims were trapped on the second floor.

LBReport.com learned unofficially -- and has now confirmed -- that the fire escalated to a second alarm, (meaning more than usual number of units were summoned, details below)...and LBFD PIO Firefighter Steve Yamamoto says the blaze went to a second alarm because of the rescue situation and advance stage of the fire.

Station 1 [Magnolia between Broadway and Ocean Blvd.] was dispatched at 10;24 p.m. Tuesday night (June 19) and arrived within three minutes. It was joined by Engines 1, 2, 3, Task Force 6 (Engine 6 & USAR 6), 7, 10, 13, & 24, Truck 1 and 7, Rescue 1 and 2, Battalion Chiefs 1, 2, & 3 and Arson units 2 and 5

PIO Yamamoto says "Firefighters were met with bystanders saying there were trapped victims on the second floor. Firefighters quickly laddered the upstairs windows and rescued three victims safely down the ladders...A fourth victim, a 44 year old woman, was brought out safely through the stairwell and transported to a hospital with mild smoke inhalation."

Meanwhile, Firefighters made an aggressive attack on the fire from below and knocked it down within six minutes.

LBFD says the fire's cause is under investigation and preliminary reports estimate damage at about $100,000. .