WOODLAND HILLS : Sauna Fire Forces Gym Evacuation

Forget aerobics and the Stairmaster. Members of a women’s gym in Woodland Hills got a new workout Thursday night: running for the door.

A smoky fire that sent flames pouring from a first-floor sauna at the Total Woman spa sent 50 women racing to safety, some in leotards and tights, others in towels.

No injuries were reported as 40 Los Angeles firefighters extinguished the 6:30 p.m. blaze in a shopping center at 19730 Ventura Blvd. in about 30 minutes.

Women waiting for an aerobics class reported hearing a popping sound from the sauna moments before smoke began pouring from it.

“They made an announcement to evacuate and told us not to try to go get our stuff,” said Romy Schnyder, 21, of Canoga Park, who was exercising on a machine at the time.

Manager Barbara Eils said two women inside the sauna alerted workers to the fire. “Some people were a little reluctant to leave,” Eils said. “Then they saw the smoke.”

Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Littleton said the cause of the fire and the extent of damage was not immediately determined.

Gym owner Art Stone said he suspected the fire was set off by paper placed on the sauna’s electrically heated rocks in an attempt to generate more heat.

“We had the earthquake, a flood a couple of years ago when somebody upstairs left water faucets on, and now this. What’s next? Locusts and frogs?”

Lisa Marie Brand, 26, of Thousand Oaks said she quickly determined one thing as she watched the firefighters and wondered if her car keys could be retrieved from her locker.

“I’m a steam room type of gal,” she said. “Forget the sauna. I’ll stick with steam.”