Dramatic surveillance video captured the moment two people climbed out of the back window of an RV in Venice, California as smoke started to billow from inside.
A few minutes later flames started to emerge and less than five minutes after their escape, the RV on Lake Street was fully engulfed.
Neighbors say the line of RVs parked on their street is a hazard and councilmember Traci Park says it’s just the latest in a string of RV fires in her district that she calls unsafe and upsetting.
“I went outside and then I could see the big plumes of black smoke. I mean you could really smell that plastic burning,” said neighbor Daniel Wojack.
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The LAFD says they got the call at 12:01 p.m.
Cellphone video taken from across the street shows the moment firefighters arrived.
LAFD says the two people inside of the RV, a man and a female minor, both suffered burns and were taken to a nearby hospital. Neighbors say the fire comes as no surprise.
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“We automatically assumed it was an RV burning. It’s a continuing, incessant, recurring problem here in the neighborhood,” Wojack said.
LA Councilmember Traci Park issued a statement Friday saying:
"This most recent RV fire is one in a year-long string of incidents that demonstrate the severe risks to life, safety and the environment posed by these unregulated vehicles.” “Like many Angelenos, I am angry and saddened by these situations.”
Johnny Marler calls the line of RVs parked outside of the home a safety hazard.
“Sometimes it just feels unsafe when these things are blowing up in the middle of the day. It’s pretty intense when you see it firsthand 100 feet from your houses” Marler said.
Park says she’s working on trying to regulate van and RV parking in her district.
Wojack says he hopes the entire administration makes it a priority.
“Definitely we need to put these RVs in some place with safe parking, let's get a city lot assigned with some security, and put them in there. I don’t think it does us the neighbors or them any good to just be out here,” Wojack said.
