Hollywood house fire injures 3 including firefighter

LOS ANGELES - Three people, including a firefighter, were hospitalized Wednesday after a fire broke out in a home in Hollywood. Two of the men were rescued from the home. One was critically injured, the other was brought to the hospital in grave condition. The firefighter has since been released from the hospital.

The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. in a house on N. Cherokee Avenue. When firefighters got to the house, they found the two men trapped behind a security gate. They needed a key on both sides of the fence to open it. 

In the chaos, no one knew where the keys were, so crews had to cut through the door. As the minutes went by, the heat inside kept building. When the door was finally open, there was a flashover, which is when everything in a room ignites at once. 

Neighbors said one of the two men injured in the fire was the homeowner, and that he is a retiree who sometimes takes in boarders.

Firefighters say Wednesday morning's blaze is a good reminder that if you have double-sided locks, to leave the key in the door while you sleep. Firefighters couldn't say if there were fire alarms at the home, but added that it's always a good idea to make sure yours are working.

Arson investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fire.