30 Saved From 6th-Floor Fire in Downtown

Fifteen trapped workers were plucked from the roof by helicopters, and 15 more were hauled down fire ladders propped against upper-floor windows as flames swept through the sixth floor of a nine-story building at the heart of the garment district in downtown Los Angeles this morning.

More than a dozen people were injured--most of them suffering smoke inhalation as the blaze spread rapidly through the structure at 754 S. Los Angeles St., isolating scores of workers on the top three floors.

“One man was on his stomach on a windowsill, just two stories below the roof . . . screaming for help in Spanish,” said Renee Cohen, co-owner of a clothing store across the street. “We screamed back (in English), ‘Hold on! Hang on! Don’t jump!’ ”

The first of more than 20 Los Angeles fire units rolled up as the man clung to the sill, and he was pulled to safety moments later.

Firefighters had to brave choking smoke and intense heat to make their way to those trapped on the upper floors.

Some of the workers made their way to the roof, where they were airlifted to safety by helicopters. Others managed to crawl to open windows where firefighters had placed long extension ladders. And others managed to fight their way down smoke-filled stairwells to safety.

Jose Romero, 23, said he was working in a garment business office on the ninth floor of the building “when a woman came in, yelling that the building was on fire.”

He said that despite the smoke that rapidly filled the hallways, he and about a dozen others on that floor managed to make their way to a stairwell and walk down on their own.

Fire officials said the blaze, which broke out about 11:30 a.m., was finally brought under control an hour later. The cause of the fire is under investigation.