NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A 20-year-old man is fighting for his life after suffering severe burns in an apartment fire in North Hollywood.

The fire broke out around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday in the 6700 block of Denny Avenue, just south of the Bob Hope Airport.

“Firefighters arrived quickly to find a first-floor unit to the rear of an 18,150 square-foot 2 story garden-style apartment building fully involved with fire,” Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

It took 37 firefighters to extinguish the fire and rescue the man. He did not have a pulse and wasn’t breathing when firefighters found him.

The victim suffered second and third degree burns to over 70 percent of his body, fire officials said.

“Though he remains in critical condition, the efforts of LAFD rescuers have given this man a fighting chance of survival” said Humphrey.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

No other injuries were reported.