A fire broke out and collapsed the roof of a boarded-up, single-story church in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles Tuesday, but no injuries were reported.
The fire was reported at 9:43 a.m. Tuesday in the 8900 block of West Helms Place, north of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The collapsed roof forced firefighters to fight the blaze by pouring water on the flames from the exterior, LAFD spokeswoman Jennifer Middleton said.
Forty-two firefighters responded and put the fire out within 23 minutes of arriving on scene, Middleton said.
Arson units were dispatched to investigate the cause of the blaze, a standard procedure when there is a fire at a house of worship, Middleton said.