More than 80 firefighters battled a “major emergency” fire Thursday at a commercial building in downtown Los Angeles.
Crews responded at around 1:12 p.m. to the 200 block of East Winston Street, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
By 2:04 p.m., the fire was declared a “major emergency” as more than 80 firefighters took a defensive stance while the flames spread to a nearby building, Stewart said in a statement.
“Due to heavy storage load, firefighters were not able to reach the seat of the fire,” Stewart said.
According to KNX, the building was packed with combustible materials — including candles, clothing and cardboard packages — raising concerns about a possible structural collapse.
While an official knockdown had not yet been declared, Stewart said the majority of the fire was out by late afternoon Thursday. No injuries were reported.
The LAFD deployed its RS3 robotic firefighting vehicle to access remaining pockets of fire in areas unsafe for crews, Stewart said.
The Arson Unit was on scene investigating the cause of the fire, as part of standard protocol for a major emergency incident, according to Stewart.
“This will remain an active incident well into the night, and citizens are advised to continue avoiding the area,” she said.