Fire at vacant Pico Union home forces residents to jump from windows to escape

LOS ANGELES - A vacant two-story home in Los Angeles' Pico Union neighborhood erupted in flames Monday morning, sending residents of the building next door jumping from windows to escape, and reigniting frustration from neighbors who say they've been warning the city about the property for months.

The fire broke out around 9 a.m. at 1230 South Bonnie Brae Street. Within minutes, the blaze spread to the adjacent building, trapping residents inside. Gregory Washington, a neighbor, saw the flames and rushed over.

"I said ... jump, jump, your house is on fire!! Hurry, hurry," said Washington.

He positioned himself below a window, ready to catch whoever came out first. "He jumped out real quick, I tried to catch him, I hurt my hand, he fell off my hand and hit there," Washington said. "That lady right there was hanging right there."

That lady is Teresa, a resident of the neighboring building. She asked us not to show her face. Teresa said she and her roommates quickly realized there was no way out through the doors. "We were going to try to make an exit, and there's no way," she said. "You could see the flames hitting the doorway, so we were waiting for the fire department. All we could do was try to jump out the corner window, the one away from the fire."

After her roommate's boyfriend jumped, Teresa froze. "I was supposed to jump out the window, but I couldn't do it because I was too scared," she said. "I was kind of just holding on there for a second, and the fire department ended up pulling up and providing a ladder. So, I was able to get down, and so was his girlfriend."

The dramatic rescue was captured on Citizen video. But for neighbors like Washington, the shock wasn't the fire, it was that it happened again. "People have set it on fire three times already, three times already!" Washington said.

Teresa added the vacant property had been a magnet for homeless encampments. "A lot of homeless people have come onto the property, even our property. Sometimes I'm coming home at 10, 11 at night and there's people on the front porch or in the driveway."

As for who's responsible? Washington didn't hesitate. "I put that on the city. I really put it on the city." Teresa is now left with almost nothing. "My bed is gone, a few personal items are gone, everything. Anything plastic has melted." Teresa chose not to open a GoFundMe account but said if anyone wants to help, they should donate to the Red Cross because they have been incredibly helpful.

Pico Union falls within Council District 1, represented by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. Her office issued the following statement:

"We're aware of this morning's fire at a vacant property in Pico Union, and we are working with those who were impacted. Our office has been in communication with the Los Angeles Fire Department and other city partners to gather more information about the incident and the history of this property. Situations like this highlight the very real safety risks that neglected and unsecured properties pose to surrounding communities.

"The councilmember is actively working with relevant city departments — including Building and Safety and the Fire Department — to strengthen enforcement and improve coordination around abandoned and vacant properties. This includes advancing clearer requirements for property owners to properly secure and maintain their buildings, as well as ensuring that repeated complaints from residents trigger timely inspections and corrective action."