KTLA

2 dead, 1 in critical condition after Long Beach fire

A fire in an abandoned building killed two people and hospitalized a third on May 4, 2023. (KTLA)

A fire in an abandoned Long Beach building Thursday night killed two people and left a woman in critical condition, according to the Long Beach Fire Department.

The blaze in a commercial building in the 1700 block of Long Beach Boulevard was reported at about 9 p.m., fire officials said.

When firefighters arrived, they found fire and smoke emanating from the abandoned structure, and a search of the building revealed three people.

One of those found, a man, was declared dead at the scene, while the other two, both women, were transported to a local hospital in grave condition.

One of the women died at the hospital, while the other remains in critical condition.

The deceased were identified as Israel Benjamin Gonzalez, 28, and Christina Rivera, 49.

No firefighters were injured.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and likely will not be known for a couple of days.

Alexis Lewis contributed to this report.