Two People Hospitalized with Burns in Foothill Apartment Fire

A man and woman were transported to a local hospital with serious burns Friday night after a fire broke out at an apartment on Foothill Boulevard, authorities said.

Fire Chief Christopher Donovan said a male suffered second and third degree burns to his face and upper body and a female was treated for first and second degree burns to her knees, legs and feet after a fire broke out at their apartment at about 8:13 Friday in the 700 block of West Foothill Boulevard.

"(Fifefighters) got on scene and they had two people outside the location who appeared to have flash burns," Donovan said.

The two people were taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital by an ambulance, Donovan said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation but the burns were consistent with those usually caused by cooking fires, Donovan said.

"It was most likely from cooking but we're not certain that's the extent of the cause of the flash fire," Donovan said.

Alice Parkinson, a neighbor, said in an email that she was asked by police to evacuate her home during the incident.

"At 9:05 p.m. the police knocked on my door and asked if I was alone," Parkinson wrote. "I said I was and they advised me I needed to evacuate because of the situation next door. A few others from the apartment complex also left."

Donovan said he was unaware of any evacuation and did not believe the fire department was involved. Monrovia Police Sgt. Don Newton said police were called to assist in the response but could not provide any additional information.