Investigation After Man Falls
To Death Escaping High-Rise Fire

By Kurt Helin
Editor

A dramatic 18th floor fire in an Ocean Boulevard high-rise left one person dead last Wednesday night.

The fire broke out at the Galaxy Towers, 2999 Ocean Blvd., around 9:30 p.m. and soon three fire companies — about 100 firefighters — were on hand to fight the flames, according to Long Beach Fire Department Capt. Mike DuRee. The fire was contained about an hour later, DuRee added.

The death came when John Carlyle Crews, 60, was forced out on his balcony by the fire and ended up falling, according to the Fire Department. The Galaxy Towers condominium owner was pronounced dead on the scene.

The fire was contained largely to the east wing of the 40-year-old tower, and to the 18th and 19th floors of the 20-story building.

Investigators believe the fire was started in Crews’s kitchen, DuRee said.

Ocean Boulevard was shut down in both directions between Paloma and Lindero avenues for hours during the night while firefighters battled the flames.

The Galaxy Towers were built in 1966, the only high-rise building on Ocean Boulevard east of downtown. It has been controversial since it was built — its construction galvanized Bluff Park residents into pushing the city to change its zoning and not allow more high rises along Ocean outside of downtown.

Because of when it was built, the Galaxy Towers did not have a sprinkler system (it was not required at the time).

In the wake of last year’s deadly Paradise Gardens fire in North Long Beach, the City Council had asked city staff to come up incentives to get the city’s older buildings retrofitted with sprinklers. The goal was to provide incentives for building owners that would speed process, plus a deadline as to when the upgrades would have to be done. The ordinance would apply to numerous older residential buildings in Long Beach, the council was told.

Ironically, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee was previously scheduled to discuss this issue at its meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).

If the Galaxy Towers had sprinklers, it is very likely this fire would not have been nearly as severe, DuRee said.