A three-alarm fire swept through pallets in an industrial area of Pomona Saturday, prompting authorities to issue an advisory to shelter in place with windows closed in downwind areas.
The fire was reported at 6:32 p.m. Saturday at a pallet yard in the 1300 block of East Ninth Street, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
Crews were forced into defensive postures, battling the raging blaze from a safe distance. The fire quickly went to a second alarm, then a third within 20 minutes, said Capt. Aaron Katon, PIO with the county fire department.
A gas line was ruptured and the Southern California Gas Company was summoned to turn off the line, Katon said.
Streets were closed and nearby businesses were evacuated as firefighters worked to keep the flames from spreading to other properties.
The Chino Valley Fire Department sent crews to help battle the inferno.