structurefire photos on Flickr

Third Street Fire in Downtown Los Angeles by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 1:50 AM on June 8, 2021 to the 200 block of East 3rd Street in Downtown Los Angeles, where firefighters arrived quickly to find a century-old commercial building engulfed in flames.

One hundred-fifty firefighters under the command of Assistant Chief Ernst confined the fire to a 200' x 50' three-story commercial building, saving nearby multi-story residential structures. Firefighters battled for over three hours to knock down the bulk of the flames. The structural integrity of the building was too compromised for firefighters to enter and finish extinguishment. Heavy machinery was brought in to move debris and uncover the many remaining hot spots. Firefighters stayed for most of the day to monitor the smoldering debris and continue to apply water when possible.

There were no reported injuries to firefighters or civilians.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross assisted unhoused persons whose tents were destroyed by fire, while Inspectors from the City's Department of Building & Safety examined the fire building to determine its structural integrity and potential for repair. Monetary loss from the fire is still being tabulated.

LAFD Fire Investigators have concluded their investigation and the cause will remain "undetermined." Evidence confirmed that the fire began inside the structure and is not related to the individuals in tents outside the structure. Due to the compromised structural integrity of the fire unit and partial building collapse in the probable area of ignition, investigators were unable to determine anything further.

LAFD Incident: 060821-0089

Structure Fire Eagle 42s by Bernie Deyo Photography

2

Fire fighters from Eagle, Boise, Meridian, Star and Middleton battle a fully involved 4,000 sqft hillside mansion in Eagle Idaho just outside of Boise.

Encino Vacant Structure Destroyed by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

At 7:28PM on March 13, 2021 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 9400 block of N Sepulveda Blvd in Encino. 47 firefighters extinguished a well involved structure fire in 32 minutes. As this building was the site of a previous burn, the roof was already well ventilated and it was a defensive operation only.

LAFD Incident: 031321-1127

Chatsworth Fire Sends Two LAFD Firefighters to Hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

CHATSWORTH - It took 122 Los Angeles Firefighters just 81 minutes to win a relentless battle with wind-whipped flames accidentally sparked by a propane fueled barbecue, that damaged four condominium units under a common roof in the 22100 block of James Alan Circle on July 4, 2017. Two LAFD firefighters sustained non-life threatening injury in the fierce firefight. © Photo by Rick McClure

LAFD Incident: 070417-1009

Over 30 Businesses Saved in Van Nuys by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 2:44PM on October 12, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 7056 N Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys. The first fire company arrived to find a one story, vacant commercial building (7,600 square feet built in 1957) well involved in fire.

After initially deploying an offensive fire attack, the incident commander quickly transitioned to a defensive operation due to the extent of fire involvement. As crews established hand lines, a collapse zone of 30’ was implemented at the front of the building due to concern about the stability of the façade. Approximately 20 minutes into the incident, an ‘Emergency Traffic’ radio alert was issued informing all on the fire ground of the full collapse of the façade. All firefighters were safely outside the collapse zone and continued their operation without delay.

The building to the North (on the Bravo side) abutted the fire building while there was a small separation with the building to the South (on the Delta side). Despite the close proximity of the two exposures and the heavy fire present, firefighters battled and succeeded in defending the structures from fire damage – saving over thirty businesses.

It was a long, extended operation due to the amount of fire and challenges in safely access all areas of the building. The RS3, Robotic Fire Fighting Vehicle was deployed to apply high volumes of water (master streams) more deeply into the building than was safely possible by firefighters. The combination of hand lines, ladder-pipes, RS3 and the team of over 85 firefighters, working under the command of Assistant Chief Corey Rose, fully extinguished the fire in over four hours.

One firefighter was transported to the hospital in fair condition with heat exhaustion. There were no other injuries reported.

Per protocol, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section (ACTS) responded and is actively investigating the cause of the fire.

LAFD Incident 101222-1068

Over 30 Businesses Saved in Van Nuys by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 2:44PM on October 12, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 7056 N Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys. The first fire company arrived to find a one story, vacant commercial building (7,600 square feet built in 1957) well involved in fire.

After initially deploying an offensive fire attack, the incident commander quickly transitioned to a defensive operation due to the extent of fire involvement. As crews established hand lines, a collapse zone of 30’ was implemented at the front of the building due to concern about the stability of the façade. Approximately 20 minutes into the incident, an ‘Emergency Traffic’ radio alert was issued informing all on the fire ground of the full collapse of the façade. All firefighters were safely outside the collapse zone and continued their operation without delay.

The building to the North (on the Bravo side) abutted the fire building while there was a small separation with the building to the South (on the Delta side). Despite the close proximity of the two exposures and the heavy fire present, firefighters battled and succeeded in defending the structures from fire damage – saving over thirty businesses.

It was a long, extended operation due to the amount of fire and challenges in safely access all areas of the building. The RS3, Robotic Fire Fighting Vehicle was deployed to apply high volumes of water (master streams) more deeply into the building than was safely possible by firefighters. The combination of hand lines, ladder-pipes, RS3 and the team of over 85 firefighters, working under the command of Assistant Chief Corey Rose, fully extinguished the fire in over four hours.

One firefighter was transported to the hospital in fair condition with heat exhaustion. There were no other injuries reported.

Per protocol, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section (ACTS) responded and is actively investigating the cause of the fire.

LAFD Incident 101222-1068

One Man Dies Overnight in a South LA Commercial Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

CENTRAL-ALAMEDA - A late-night commercial fire destroyed an industrial building and killed one man inside of his business.

In the last few remaining minutes of Monday, May 3, 2021, at 11:57 PM, the alarm went out to alert firefighters of a commercial building engulfed in flames on the 1800 block of East 57th Street. Firefighters immediately recognized the need to use defensive tactics and fight this fire with copious amounts of water from the exterior. The Incident Commander called for additional fire crews, making it a Greater Alarm incident. Firefighters positioned themselves on all sides of the building to protect the many surrounding structures. Firefighters protected adjacent buildings from all but minor flame impingement.

LAFD's robotic firefighting unit was utilized during the incident. RS3 was able to enter the structure and apply water to harder-to-reach areas without exposing firefighters to the collapse risk of the burned out structure. Ultimately, sixty-seven firefighters extinguished the flames in seventy-two minutes.

After the fire was out, firefighters discovered that, tragically, one man had perished inside. The Coroner responded and met with the family to verify his identity. The family reported that he was a carpenter and often worked during the late evening and early morning hours. The wood and materials from his business appear to have added to the intense fire load within the building, causing the fire to grow extremely fast. Crews remained on scene overnight to ensure the debris did not reignite.

The cause of the fire is under active investigation.

LAFD Incident: 050321-1661

Greater Alarm Fire in North Hollywood by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

At 5:09PM on May 28, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 6800 block of N Troost Av for a reported structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a one story commercial building with fire showing. Crews immediately initiated an offensive operation with interior fire attack and truck companies on the roof performing vertical ventilation.

Approximately 20 minutes into the incident, a partial roof collapse at the front of the building triggered the transition to a defensive operation. Over 80 firefighters ultimately extinguished the blaze in one hour and 46 minutes with no injuries reported. They contained the fire to the building of origin, defended the exposed buildings from damage. LAFD Arson responded for the investigation per protocol.

LAFD Incident 052822-1075

East Hollywood Fire Destroys Building by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

At 8:33AM on October 27, 2019 the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 4760 W Melrose Ave in East Hollywood. Firefighters arrived to find a two story, vacant center hall apartment building with heavy fire showing.

Interior fire attack immediately made entry while the truck company went to the roof to provide vertical ventilation. Heavy fire was encountered both on the first and second floors. As firefighters successfully extinguished the bulk of the fire on the first floor, the structural integrity of the building started to falter. With visible signs of pending collapse, Incident Commander Asssitant Chief Kristina Kepner made the call to transition to a defensive operation.

All firefighters safely exited the structure and left the roof to establish ladder pipe operations and hand lines for an exterior fire attack. 81 firefighters achieved a knockdown of the fire in 1 hour and 22 minutes with no injuries reported. A human remains detection K9 team responded to the incident to conduct a thorough search to ensure no victims were hidden under the debris. The cause of the fire is under active investigation by the LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section.

LAFD Incident: 102719-0465

Four Injured, Five Structures Damaged in Hollywood Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

Four Injures, Five Structures Damaged in Hollywood Fire

HOLLYWOOD - Fast moving flames damaged five residential buildings and led to four persons sustaining injury in the Hollywood Studio District Friday morning.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was notified by a 9-1-1 caller at 9:08 AM on Friday, January 22, 2021 of a structure fire at 1245 North Bronson Avenue in Hollywood.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find a vacant and boarded one story home in a large unkempt lot, fully involved with fire, with flames extending to a vacant home on the same parcel.

Fire was simultaneously taking hold of the attic at an occupied two story Craftsman-style home on a neighboring property to the north, and yet another vacant home on the same parcel, behind that structure. Flames also threatened an occupied three story garden-style apartment building to the south.

The fierce and well-coordinated firefight by 97 firefighters under the command of Assistant Chief Dean Zipperman extinguished the flames in just 39 minutes.

Damage to the apartment building was kept largely superficial, with some broken windows and damage to a balcony. The effort of LAFD responders also largely limited fire within the attic of the Craftsman-style home.

The trio of other vacant structures, including the building of fire origin and the somewhat dilapidated buildings to the rear of each home, were destroyed by the flames, which also damaged at least one vehicle.

Three civilians and one firefighter sustained non-life threatening injuries related to the fire, with the three civilians taken to area hospitals for further care, including an adult male resident of the apartment building with burns to his arm, and a pair of adult females from the Craftsman-style home - one of whom sustained minor burn injury, and the other, who had no obvious injury, but was carried from the premises by passersby prior to LAFD arrival.

The firefighter, who sustained facial trauma at the peak of the firefight, was briefly assessed and treated at scene before returning quickly to the battle.

No other injuries were reported.

Fire loss to the five buildings, three of which were vacant, is still being tabulated. The cause of the greater alarm fire remains under active investigation.

For updated informtion regarding this incident, visit:

lafd.org/news/four-injured-five-structures-damaged-fire-h...

LAFD Incident: 012221-0421