AIR COOLER BLAMED FOR FIRE.Byline: Lisa Van Proyen Staff Writer SYLMAR - With temperatures nearing 100 degrees, 81-year-old Ricardo Hermosura turned on his air conditioner in hopes of a restful rest·ful adj. 1. Affording, marked by, or suggesting rest; tranquil. See Synonyms at comfortable. 2. Being at rest; quiet. rest sleep. But early Tuesday morning he awoke to find his Berg Street house on fire, sparked when his air conditioner malfunctioned, firefighters said. ``The air conditioner was pretty old. But it was 100 degrees there,'' said Hermosura's grandson, Tavern Sanchez of Sylmar. There was no indication, however, that the air conditioner was faulty, he added. Hermosura was in serious condition Tuesday at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is a hospital in Mission Hills, California, USA. The hospital has 254 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. History in Mission Hills, with second-degree burns to both legs, his arm and back, said Tiffany Devall, a hospital spokeswoman. He was also suffering from smoke inhalation Smoke Inhalation Definition Smoke inhalation is breathing in the harmful gases, vapors, and particulate matter contained in smoke. Description Smoke inhalation typically occurs in victims or firefighters caught in structural fires. . Sanchez said the fire broke out about 4 a.m., sending flames through the living room and down both hallways of the house in the 14400 block of Berg Street. Hermosura's son, Richard Hermosura, awoke in time to pull his father to safety. He broke through his bedroom window, shattered shat·ter v. shat·tered, shat·ter·ing, shat·ters v.tr. 1. To cause to break or burst suddenly into pieces, as with a violent blow. 2. a. his father's window and pulled him outdoors, Sanchez said. ``They're lucky anyone survived that. Just a few minutes later, somebody would have died,'' Sanchez said. About 30 firefighters extinguished ex·tin·guish tr.v. ex·tin·guished, ex·tin·guish·ing, ex·tin·guish·es 1. To put out (a fire, for example); quench. 2. To put an end to (hopes, for example); destroy. See Synonyms at abolish. 3. the blaze within 25 minutes. Sanchez said his grandfather had lived at the home for about three to five years. He is a retired Lockheed engineer. Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), also known as the Los Angeles City Fire Department to distinguish it from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Los Angeles. , said the air conditioner somehow malfunctioned and started the fire. CAPTION(S): map Map: 81-year-old man burned |
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