La City Fire: OSHA inspections and violations

Incident on Oct 21, 2005: Firefighter survives after being electrocuted on ladder

On October 21, 2005, Employee #1 was a firefighter with the LA City Fire Departm ent. He was operating at a structure fire. He was climbing a 100-ft long aerial ladder that was extended below the overhead power lines. As he climbed the ladde r, his SCBA tank snagged on one of the power lines. Employee #1 used his bare ha nd to push the wire away from his tank and was electrocuted. When coworkers resc ued Employee #1 from the ladder, he was in cardiac arrest. He was successfully d efibrillated and resuscitated. He also sustained partial and full thickness burn s to his hands and was hospitalized for treatment of his injuries. He recovered and returned to work.

Incident on Jan 1, 2003: Two employees burned in structure fire

Employee #1, a probationary (new) firefighter, and Employee #2, an apparatus ope rator, were part of an engine company responding to a residential fire. There we re several engine companies on site and at least four firefighters on the roof o f the burning house at the time. The fire trucks experienced delays getting on t he scene due to very narrow streets and cars parked illegally. By the time they arrived and got on the roof there was heavy smoke in the house. Employee #1 was performing roof ventilation to vent smoke at the time of accident. Employee #1 s tepped onto an area that had active fire under it and fell through the roof. Emp loyee #1 went in up to his armpits, and was burned while being rescued. Employee #2 was burned while affecting the rescue. Employee #1 suffered second-and- thir d-degree burns to his legs and feet, and Employee #2 suffered minor second-and-t hird-degree burns to his hands and arms. Both employees were hospitalized.

Incident on Aug 16, 2001: Four employees treated for various injuries after fire

On August 16, 2001, a fire occurred at a hotel. At least four engine companies r esponded to the fire. The fire had burned from the first to the fourth floors an d through the roof prior to the arrival of the fire department. This rapidity an d intensity were the result of the building's disgruntled property manager pouri ng 40 gallons of gasoline inside the building. The gasoline was ignited by a hot water heater pilot light and the manager was killed in the ensuing explosion. F our firefighters received minor injuries in the incident. Employee #1 received b ruises and soft tissue injuries, Employees #2 and #3 received burns, and Employe e #4 broke his left clavicle. Employees #2, #3, and #4 were hospitalized.

Incident on Mar 8, 1998 (fatal): Employee died of asphyxia in fire

On March 8, 1998, Employee #1, who was an employee of the Louisiana City Fire De partment, died of asphyxia in a fire. The fire that was being fought was particu larly hot and smoky. Employee #1 became separated from his crew while attempting to enter the structure in zero visibility conditions. Employee #1 ran out of ai r and died of asphyxia.

Incident on Aug 20, 1997: Employee suffers burns while fighting fire

At approximately 1:00 a.m. on August 20, 1997, Employee #1 was fighting a fire f rom the roof of a burning building. The roof collapsed and Employee #1 fell thro ugh the roof. In an attempt to self-rescue his left hand glove came off. As a re sult, Employee #1 received second and third degree burns to the fingers of his l eft hand.

Incident on Oct 3, 1993: Fire fighters injured in fall through roof

At 10:30 a.m. on October 3, 1993, Employees #1 and #2, both Los Angeles Fire Dep artment fire fighters, were on a rooftop participating in a ventilation operatio n as part of a fire suppression operation going on at a commercial building. The structure had four skylights that had been covered over with roof tar, so they were undetectable by those on the rooftop. Three of the covered skylights were n ot covered to code standard. Employees #1 and #2 fell through the skylights to a concrete floor 24 feet below. Employee #1 sustained fractured ankles, a crushed left foot, and a fractured tibia. Employee #2 sustained a fractured wrist. No a ccident related citations were issued.