A fire heavily damaged four units of a commercial building containing furniture and rolls of textiles in downtown Los Angeles Monday, but no one was hurt.
The fire was reported at 4:16 a.m. in the 500 block of East Ninth Street, said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke emanating from a one-story row of commercial units,” Stewart said in a statement.
“In an aggressive effort to control the blaze, crews executed forcible entry by cutting through multiple rolling steel doors to gain access to the interior,” Stewart’s statement said.
“Simultaneously, the truck company ascended aerial ladders to the roof to cut ventilation holes, allowing for the release of thick, black smoke that filled the units from ceiling to floor. As the fire intensified and began burning through the roof, firefighters transitioned to a defensive operation due to the hazardous conditions,” Stewart said.
About 100 firefighters used using ladder pipes from the fire trucks and large-diameter handlines to maximize water flow into the fire, Stewart said.
“Approximately one hour into the incident, crews reported good progress against the bulk of the fire. However, the presence of significant quantities of rolled textiles and furniture within the businesses contributed to a heavy fire load, complicating efforts to fully extinguish the flames,” Stewart said.
“To assist with extinguishment, LAFD Heavy Equipment Operators arrived with small tractors able to get inside the structure to clear debris, allowing firefighters access to the remaining pockets of fire,” Stewart added.
The blaze damaged four commercial units, and three of them sustained “extensive damage” and were red-tagged by Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, Stewart said. Crews remained on scene hours after daybreak working to ensure that all flames were extinguished.
“Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident,” Stewart said. “The cause of the fire is under investigation by LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section.”