Fire tore through the attic and roof of a sprawling mansion in the Beverly Crest area Tuesday, forcing fire crews into a defensive posture as the flames spread, with one firefighter taken to a hospital for an unspecified medical issue.
The fire erupted around 1:45 p.m. at the home, estimated at about 24,000 square feet, in the 300 block of North Delfern Drive, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Nearly 150 firefighters were dispatched to the sprawling estate, with some initially positioned on the roof, tearing open holes to vent the structure and provide access to the flames spreading in the attic. Thick smoke poured from the roof.
The flames continued to build more than two hours after the blaze was reported, and fire crews were forced into a defensive mode, pulling off the roof and doing their best to pour water on the structure from the exterior. Crews were also pulled out of the interior of the home, according to the LAFD.
One firefighter was taken to a hospital in fair-to-serious condition “with a medical issue,” according to the department.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the fire.