Echo Park Cottage Fire Saturday Injures No One

A fire was reported at 1730 Lucretia Avenue at 6:48 p.m Saturday. It took firefighters just 16 minutes to knock back the blaze, which started in the detached front cottage of a six-unit complex that stacks up the hillside.  No one was in the unit when the fire broke out, and no one was injured.

A neighbor farther up Lucretia Avenue reported seeing flames coming out the front windows of the unit.  He said he had smelled a "plasticy" smell, which brought him outside to see the fire.

But a resident in one of the units at 1730 Lucretia farther up the hill said he was unaware of the blaze, until firefighters knocked on his door alerting him.

The fire may have started inside the kitchen of the unit, which neighbors say was occupied by one individual. He was seen earlier Saturday at the property, but as of 8:30 p.m. had not returned.

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the fire, which brought a number of engines to narrow, twisty Lucretia Avenue, forcing Echo Park Boulevard to be closed briefly.

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