Man killed, 6 injured in L.A. hotel fire

A man was killed and six people were hurt today, including one in critical condition from injuries suffered in a fire that burned on both floors of the 28-unit Venice Hotel in the Mid City area of Los Angeles and prompted at least one resident to jump from the upper floor to safety.
   
Firefighters were called to the hotel at 8686 Venice Boulevard, near Cattaraugus Avenue, just after 2 a.m. and discovered fire burning in several rooms, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The blaze was later designated a greater alarm fire.
   
A man died at the scene, and another man was hospitalized in critical condition. A man and a woman who had been hospitalized in grave condition later were upgraded to serious condition. A man was hospitalized in fair condition, and another man was treated at the scene for a minor injury. A firefighter was treated for a ``non-life threatening'' respiratory issue, Humphrey said.
   
The fire department has not confirmed the report the woman jumped to safety.
   
One person was declared dead at the scene.
   
A total of 105 firefighters extinguished the flames in 39 minutes and a knockdown was declared at 2:43 a.m., Humphrey said.
   
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Eastbound lanes of Venice Boulevard were closed in the area to accommodate firefighting vehicles.