Elderly Man Pulled Out Of Burning Apartment In Critical Condition

SIGNAL HILL (CBSLA) — An elderly man is fighting for his life after he was pulled unresponsive from his burning apartment in Signal Hill Monday morning.

The fire was reported at 2:44 in the 2200 block of Gaviota Avenue, Signal Hill police Sgt. R. Hefte said. Flames were seen shooting out of the second-floor apartment when police arrived to evacuate the residents.

Firefighters say the man was found in his bathroom.

"The elderly gentleman may have went into the bathroom to try to seek shelter there, unable to make it to the door," Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Joey Marron said. "We don't know, but that's what we have our investigators trying to find out."

The man is reported to be in critical condition after being taken to the hospital in cardiac arrest and with burn injuries.

Neighbors say they didn't hear smoke alarms, but heard glass breaking from the fire.

"When I saw them bring him out, I didn't – I thought nobody was hurt, because it didn't seem too bad," resident Michelle Duran said. "But when we saw him carried out kind of, you know, lifeless body, that was pretty scary, pretty intense."

Firefighters say the top unit was destroyed and the unit below sustained water damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.