Pickup Truck Smashes Into Venice Building, Trapping Woman

VENICE (CBS) — A woman was rescued after smashing her pickup truck into a three-story apartment house in Venice Saturday, triggering a fire.

The truck apparently spun out in the landmark Venice traffic circle and was destroyed as it hit the building at 1720 Pacific Ave. at about 5:20 a.m., according to a witness.

Firefighters had the blaze out within 15 minutes, according to police and firefighters.

A photojournalist at the scene said the woman crashed her truck through parked cars, a tree and then deep into a first-floor bedroom. The woman called out for help as the vehicle caught fire and began burning inside the building, he said.

Erik Scott of the Los Angeles City Fire Department said the woman who had been driving was hospitalized with critical injuries. Scott said there were initial reports of two injured people, but only one was found.

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