Los Angeles Firefighters Race to Rescue People Trapped in Fire

— -- Firefighters rescued two people by ladder after a blaze broke out Tuesday at a Los Angeles commercial building.

After the fire began at 7:45 p.m. in the building’s top floors some 170 firefighters from 30 companies responded to the scene. A helicopter flying above provided light for firefighters working on the roof, while other firefighters moved floor to floor, checking for people trapped inside.

During the search, fire crews found Ricardo Molina and his wife Vivian in the building at the 1500 block of West Olympic Boulevard in the city’s Westlake District. Ricardo Molina called 911 as the smoke thickened.

“I had to open all the windows because we were suffocating,” Ricardo Molina said. “I thought we were going to die.”

Firefighters reached Vivian Molina first, lowering her down six stories to safety. Her husband was rescued next.

One firefighter was injured while battling the blaze, officials said. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The building had no sprinklers, which is legal, given the age of the building, officials said.