PASADENA — Firefighters used a ladder to rescue a trapped family from a third-story apartment Sunday, officials said.
The fire was first reported just after 5 p.m. at an apartment complex of about 30 units in the 700 block of Worcester Avenue, just north of Orange Grove Boulevard, Pasadena Fire
Department spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Firefighters encountered “flames and heavy smoke” when they arrived, and police immediately began evacuating residents from the building, Derderian said. The fire primarily involved an apartment on the second floor, but damaged the units above and below it.
A family comprised of a man, woman and three girls became trapped on the balcony of their third-floor apartment, above the burning unit, Derderian said. The girls appeared to be about 2, 4 and 8 years old.
Firefighters raised a ladder to the balcony, where they brought down three girls and assisted their father in climbing down the ladder, she said.
The woman was unconscious and was carried out of the building by firefighters, Derderian added. She was hospitalized with possible smoke inhalation.
The three girls were taken to a hospital as a precaution, but appeared okay, Derderian said. The man also appeared unhurt.

Firefighters extinguished the fire in about 20 minutes, officials said. No other injuries were reported.
Though the fire mainly damaged three units, utilities to the entire building were shut off in the aftermath, Derderian said.
Officials summoned the Red Cross to help find temporary lodging for the residents displaced from their homes.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation late Sunday.

PHOTOS courtesy of Jaime Nicholson/Pasadena Fire Department