Fire erupted Tuesday at an industrial building in Commerce, sending a thick plume of black smoke over the area and forcing firefighters into a defensive posture as they struggled to douse the flames.
The fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. in the 4300 block of Pacific Way, possibly at a metal finishing business in a heavily industrial area just west of the Long Beach (710) Freeway.
The blaze quickly went to a second alarm, as the Los Angeles County Fire Department summoned additional crews to the scene. Due to the intensity of the flames, crews were unable to enter the structure but were restricted to a defensive mode, pouring water on the structure from the exterior.
There were no immediate reports of any injuries. Crews on the scene reported that live power lines were down in the area, including lines that fell on an exterior fence and were on top of the building.
Southern California Edison crews were called to the scene to de-energize the lines, but firefighters were being advised to avoid making any physical contact with the metal structure and pools of water.