1 dead, several rescued in Los Angeles building fire

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Officials say one person is dead and three others had to be rescued from a major fire in an abandoned two-story office building near downtown Los Angeles.

City fire spokesman Brian Humphrey says the fire broke out at about 7 p.m. Monday in a building that is supposed to be vacant, but at least five unauthorized people were inside.

Humphrey says nearly 150 firefighters took more than two hours to knock down the heavy flames at the building in the Westlake District.

He says of police are interviewing one of the occupants, calling him a person of interest in the investigation of the blaze.

Humphrey says that person and one other were hospitalized but are expected to survive.

There was no further information yet available on the dead or injured.

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