structurefire photos on Flickr

Major Emergency Blaze Consumes Building by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 7:48PM on November 25, 2021 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 1820 E 48th Place in the Central-Alameda area. The address, site of a Greater Alarm fire two nights prior, included four large, adjoining buildings which housed multiple businesses. Heavy fire was showing from one building, already through the roof upon LAFD arrival.

Truck companies deployed ladder pipes and engine companies flowed wagon batteries while establishing large diameter hand lines. Forcible entry was required to open all the rolling steel doors and give firefighters access to the blaze from the exterior.

An entrenched battle continued through the night with 115 firefighters, under the command of Assistant Chief Kristina Kepner, working aggressively to defend the adjoining structures. Their efforts prevented the fire from extending and protected numerous businesses.

LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section had an open investigation into the cause of the fire at this address on November 23, 2021 and were on scene to conduct the cause investigation into this fire as well, which remains ongoing.

LAFD Incident: 112521-1480

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

NoHo High Rise Roof Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 8:48PM on September 3, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 4600 block of N Lankershim Blvd in North Hollywood. Firefighters arrived to an eight-story high-rise building doing business as City National Bank, where there was a fire on the roof from an apparent electrical problem with the illuminated sign. Firefighters ascended to the roof, extinguished the fire, and checked for extension into the exterior wall. The threat was eliminated in 30 minutes (9:18 PM) with no reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 090320-1343

North Hollywood Commercial Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 9PM on August 27, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 12100 block of W Victory Bl in North Hollywood.63 firefighters took just 29 minutes to extinguish the flames in a three-story commercial building. The fire was burning on the first floor and into the elevator shaft, sending smoke throughout the building. Initial reports of a person trapped inside made the interior search a high priority. Thankfully, no patients were located inside the structure and no injuries were reported.

LAFD Incident: 082720-1403

Pacoima Fire Sends Two to Hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 5:21AM on December 21, 2019 the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the 12700 block of W Wingo St in Pacoima for a reported structure fire. 42 firefighters extinguished the fire in 20 minutes. Two patients, including a 4 mos old child, were transported in fair condition.

LAFD Incident: 122119-0241

Fire Destroys Vacant Florence Home by Los Angeles Fire Department

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FLORENCE - It took 52 members of the Los Angeles Fire Department less than forty-five minutes to fully extinguish heavy fire in a vacant and boarded one-story home in the 100 block of East 59th Place early April 14, 2021. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

LAFD Incident: 041421-0084

Fishers Fire Department by RJACBclan

Residence Fire. Fishers Fire Department 8/27/13

Tujunga Fire Quickly Extinguished by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 11:56AM on May 9, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 5900 block of N Tujunga Av for a reported structure fire.

Firefighters arrived to find a two story, garden style apartment building with smoke showing. With an aggressive interior fire attack, crews quickly extinguished the fire in just 11 minutes with no injuries reported.

LAFD Incident: 050922-0777

LAFD Battles Major Emergency Structure Fire in Boyle Heights by Los Angeles Fire Department

BOYLE HEIGHTS - It took the relentless effort of over 180 firefighters, during a triple-digit heatwave on Monday, two hours to extinguish a stubborn fire, which consumed conjoined structures in Boyle Heights.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 2:12 PM on September 5, 2022 (Labor Day) to the 2800 block of East 11th Street, where firefighters arrived quickly to find an already well-developed fire inside of a large one-story row of commercial buildings, amid a week-long Los Angeles heatwave.

Defensive firefighting operations under the command of Assistant Chief Dean Zipperman continued for two hours until the fire was declared extinguished at 4:12 PM. While fighting the fire, four firefighters sustained non-life-threatening injuries (one struck by falling debris, three encountered an electrical hazard) and were transported to a local hospital. All four were released later in the day and remained on duty for their shift.

The expansive structure, which contained many separate businesses side-by-side, sustained significant damage in five consecutive occupancies.

LAFD Incident: 090522-0984

Chicken house fire in Delmar by LeafsHockeyFan

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Chicken house fire on Delmar Road in 74’s due. Delmar, Laurel, Hebron and SCEMS were on the initial dispatch. Command then requested a Tanker Task Force which brought additional units from Parsonsburg, Gumboro, Mardela Springs, Sharptown, Blades and Seaford.

Salisbury Truck 1 and Parsonsburg Tanker 608 provided coverage at Delmar fire station during the incident.

LAFD Saves More Than 30 Businesses From Van Nuys Blaze by Los Angeles Fire Department

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VAN NUYS - At 2:44PM on October 12, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 7056 Van Nuys Boulevard. 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 abutted the fire building while there was a small separation with the building to the south. 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

Flames Consume Lake View Terrace Home's Garage by Los Angeles Fire Department

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LAKE VIEW TERRACE - It took 28 Los Angeles City Firefighters 22 minutes to access, confine and fully extinguish flames that consumed an attached garage at the front of a one-story home in the 11200 block of North Wheatland Avenue late October 24, 2022. The cause of the non-injury fire remains under investigation.

LAFD Incident 102422-1735

Granada Hills Fire Kills One, Destroys Home by Los Angeles Fire Department

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GRANADA HILLS - Just after 5 a.m. on September 28, 2019, firefighters found a one-story home engulfed in flames on the 10400 block of Densmore Ave. Excessive storage conditions inside and out impeded efforts to quickly access the burning structure. It took 72 firefighters 50 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters combed through the excessive storage conditions inside the destroyed structure after the flames were extinguished and discovered one deceased occupant (73-year-old female). Mayor's Crisis Response Team and Red Cross responded for on scene support.

LAFD Incident: 092819-0256

Granada Hills Fire Kills One, Destroys Home by Los Angeles Fire Department

GRANADA HILLS - Just after 5 a.m. on September 28, 2019, firefighters found a one-story home engulfed in flames on the 10400 block of Densmore Ave. Excessive storage conditions inside and out impeded efforts to quickly access the burning structure. It took 72 firefighters 50 minutes to extinguish the blaze. Firefighters combed through the excessive storage conditions inside the destroyed structure after the flames were extinguished and discovered one deceased occupant (73-year-old female). Mayor's Crisis Response Team and Red Cross responded for on scene support.

LAFD Incident: 092819-0256

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

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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

Sherman Oaks Strip Mall Destroyed by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 10:48PM on January 12, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 15000 block of W Ventura Bl in Sherman Oaks. The first arriving crews found a small strip mall with heavy smoke showing.

After an initial offensive attack, the incident transitioned to defensive and 75 firefighters extinguished the fire in one hour at 20 minutes with no injuries reported.

LAFD Incident 011222-1891

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

Greater Alarm Commercial Fire in Harvard Park by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 5:22AM on September 16, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 1700 block of W Florence Av. Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire showing through the roof of a mixed one and two story dry cleaning plant. 90 LAFD firefighters extinguished the blaze in one hour and 35 minutes. Firefighters initially made entry, but intense fire behavior drove them back out. Using ladder pipes and large hand lines from the exterior, firefighters extinguished the fire and successfully protected nearby structures. There were no injuries reported.

LAFD Incident: 082820-0655

Fire in Abandoned Westlake Apartments by Los Angeles Fire Department

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WESTLAKE - At 2:05 p.m. on July 2, 2019, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a structure fire in the 800 block of S Westlake Avenue. Firefighters extinguished this non-injury fire in 45 minutes.

Firefighters found a vacant, boarded-up, two-story apartment building with heavy smoke showing. Fire was on the first and second floors, as well as in the walls and attic. Firefighters took an offensive posture and took the fight inside the structure. The structure was well-secured and firefighters overcame forcible entry challenges to open up the building. While firefighters were establishing hose lines and advancing inside to the fire, firefighters were on the roof simultaneously cutting holes to release smoke and super-heated gases. Ultimately the fire was snuffed out in 45 minutes and there were no people inside. We are pleased to report no injuries and no adjacent building were damaged.

LAFD Incident: 070219-0834

Gear. Structure fire 1-23-19 by Jrow_

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Used gear resting on the truck.

Major Emergency Structure Fire in Woodland Hills by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 9:10PM on July 3, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 6000 block of N De Soto Av for a reported structure fire.

The first arriving fire company found a large, one story commercial (vacant) building with heavy fire showing through the roof.

Firefighters immediately initiated a defensive operation and quickly determined the entire building was fully involved in fire.

With multiple ladder pipes flowing and large diameter hand lines deployed around the structure, firefighters battled for over an hour to quell the blaze. Their efforts ensure the neighboring buildings were not damaged. There were no injuries reported and there is an on-going cause investigation.

LAFD Incident 070322-1566

4street40 by Lou Angeli

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Engine-25, Talleyville Fire Company

Downtown Los Angeles Commercial Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 8:42AM on March 10, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 720 S Ceres Ave in Downtown Los Angeles. The first arriving fire company found a one story commercial building with smoke showing.

As firefighters worked to gain entry into the building, the conditions worsened and they faced thick, black smoke, severely limiting visibility. Vertical ventilation conducted by the truck company opened up the roof to find heavy, pressurized smoke emanating from holes cut towards the back of the building. This smoke turned to fire and given the distance from where firefighters entered and the location of the fire combined with the amount of fire present, the incident commander, Assistant Chief Wade White, made the call to move the operation into a defensive mode.

All crews exited the building and came off the roof to rapidly deploy master streams. With multiple ladder pipes and large diameter hand lines flowing, firefighters quickly made progress as the white smoke in the sky dissipated.

The incident then transitioned back into the offensive mode and once the ladder pipes were shut down, an interior fire attack resumed, extinguishing the remaining pockets of fire.

Over 90 firefighters achieved a knockdown in 40 minutes with no injuries reported. The 4,536sq foot, nearly 100 year old building, housed an artist’s studio/metal fabrication business and was ‘red-tagged’ (deemed unsafe to occupy) by the LA Department of Building and Safety.

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

Use of This Photo Permitted via Creative Commons - Credit: Gary Apodaca

LAFD Incident: 031022-0396

Westlake Structure Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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WESTLAKE - On August 13th, 2019, 42 firefighters knocked down flames in the garage of a one-story single-family home in 26 minutes. A gas line had caught fire in the garage. Firefighters shut off the utilities to eliminate the hazard, while finishing the fire attack. One patient was assessed and treated for a minor laceration. No other injuries were reported.

Photo by Adam Van Gerpen

LAFD Incident: 081319-0614

Five Hospitalized After Panorama City Fire Burns Through Apartments by Los Angeles Fire Department

PANORAMA CITY - Early Monday morning, firefighters extinguished flames that burned through multiple units of a four-story apartment building, sending five to the hospital.

The Los Angeles City Fire Department was alerted to a structure fire in Panorama City on the 9000 block of North Tobias Street at 6:53 AM on Monday, March 20, 2023. First-arriving crews observed smoke coming from an apartment building that contained three floors of residential units over a ground-level parking garage. Residents had pulled several on-site fire hoses out of occupant-use hose cabinets, which are included as part of the building's fire protection system, and stretched them across the outdoor courtyard in an attempt to hamper the fire's progress.

LAFD Firefighters were met with a densely-occupied 200-unit apartment building with immediate fire-suppression and medical needs. Firefighters advanced long stretches of fire hose toward the involved units, while simultaneously helping residents evacuate to paramedics standing by at collection points outside for medical evaluations, for those that needed help.

It took approximately 100 LAFD personnel 44 minutes to extinguish the flames, while also providing medical care. A total of eleven patients were treated on scene, and five of those transported to local hospitals. One transported patient was in serious condition and the other four were in fair-to-moderate condition. Six patients declined transport and further care. Sadly, one canine was found dead at the scene.

A total of sixteen people from ten damaged units will be temporarily displaced. The American Red Cross responded to assist those displaced families. Firefighters on scene are escorting those residents back into their damaged units to retrieve important belongings and medications.

Per protocol on this type of incident, Fire Investigators are examining the scene in an attempt to determine the cause. This remains an active investigation.

LAFD Incident 032023-0328

Van Nuys Structure Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 8:29AM on December 1, 2021 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 15300 block of W Archwood St in Van Nuys. 28 firefighters extinguished the fire in 19 minutes. This was determined to be an outside fire that extended into the vacant structure. Firefighters quickly addressed the exposed building and limited the fire to the eves.

LAFD Incident: 120121-0367

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

close up of flames by DandyBaby

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Close up photo of flames at a burning house that firefighters were unable to save in the northwestern corner of Seminole County, Oklahoma in December of 2006.

Major Emergency Structure Fire in Woodland Hills by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 9:10PM on July 3, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 6000 block of N De Soto Av for a reported structure fire.

The first arriving fire company found a large, one story commercial (vacant) building with heavy fire showing through the roof.

Firefighters immediately initiated a defensive operation and quickly determined the entire building was fully involved in fire.

With multiple ladder pipes flowing and large diameter hand lines deployed around the structure, firefighters battled for over an hour to quell the blaze. Their efforts ensure the neighboring buildings were not damaged. There were no injuries reported and there is an on-going cause investigation.

LAFD Incident 070322-1566

Fire Destroys Vacant Florence Home by Los Angeles Fire Department

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FLORENCE - It took 52 members of the Los Angeles Fire Department less than forty-five minutes to fully extinguish heavy fire in a vacant and boarded one-story home in the 100 block of East 59th Place early April 14, 2021. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

LAFD Incident: 041421-0084

Panorama City Fire Stopped by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 2:26AM on July 12, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 9800 block of N Vesper Av in Panorama City. Firefighters arrived to find a two story apartment building with fire showing from at least one unit. 90 firefighters extinguished the fire in 37 minutes with the fire primarily contained to the unit of origin but with some extension to two additional units. No injuries were reported.

LAFD Incident 071220-0144

1985 Gerrity Lumber fire by Derek J. Ewing

Fuller Road FD Rescue 3 in foreground / unk ariel in background fighting Gerrity Lumber fire August 1985 in Guilderland/Colonie, NY.

Departments on scene included: Fuller Road FD, West Albany FD, Colonie Village FC, and Midway FD as well as Colonie Emergency Services Operations Cars. Although not pictured EMS was most likely provided by West Albany Ambulance and Colonie Village Ambulance.

LAFD Battles Greater Alarm Fire in South L.A. by Los Angeles Fire Department

SOUTH LOS ANGELES - On the afternoon of April 11, 2020 the Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned to a structure fire at 11632 South Main Street in South Los Angeles. The first arriving firefighters discovered heavy pressurized smoke and fire showing from the rear of a 70’ x 40’ vacant one story commercial building.

Mounting an aggressive fire attack with a primary search of the structure, crews were pushed back by deteriorating conditions, including a partial roof collapse, leading to a well-coordinated transition to defensive operations.

Ninety-eight LAFD personnel were able to fully extinguish the fire in 52 minutes. There were no injuries. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

LAFD Incident 041120-0763

Photo Use Permitted via Creative Commons - Credit: LAFD Photo

Large Garage Fully Involved by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 11:50PM on January 19, 2019 the Los Angeles Fire Department responded toa reported structure fire in the 13800 block of W Polk Street in #Sylmar. Firefighters found a two story, metal clad garage fully involved in fire and extending to a 1 story garage directly behind it. 48 firefighters achieved full extinguishment in 36 mins with no injuries reported. The main residence was not damaged.

LAFD Incident: 011919-1692

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

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

Heavy Fire in South Los Angeles Four Plex by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 7:37AM on November 8, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 400 block of W 107th Street in South Los Angeles. Firefighters arrived to find a two story, four-plex with heavy fire and smoke showing. 42 firefighters extinguished the fire in 23 minutes with no injuries reported.

LAFD Incident: 110820-0326

Use of This Photo Permitted via Creative Commons - Credit: Harry Garvin

Firefighters Save Critical Parts of Building at Major Emergency by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 8:08PM, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to 4020 S Compton Av in South Los Angeles to find a large food processing plant with a fire originating in the kitchen equipment and rapidly spreading through the duct work in the attic. The fire evolved into a Major Emergency fire with a defensive operation. Firefighters made a tremendous save, protecting half of the building and saving critical business papers and computers. The full story www.lafd.org/news/relentless-effort-firefighters-prevents...

LAFD Incident: 040317-1422

Auto Fire Stopped in Toluca Lake by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 00:17AM on June 29, 2019 the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 4500 block of N Strohm Av in Toluca Lake. Firefighters arrived to find two vehicles well involved in fire, exposing the single family dwelling. Firefighters took only 19 minutes to extinguish this non-injury fire, sparing the home from the blaze.

LAFD Incident: 062919-0028

Craftsman Home Destroyed by Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 2:08AM on July 14, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in teh 1200 block of S Arapahoe Street in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. Firefighters arrived to find a large, two story Craftsman-style vacant home with heavy fire showing. 94 firefighters extinguished this Greater Alarm fire in 38 minutes. The operation shifted from offensive to defensive due to the difficulty accessing fire on the 2nd floor. One the fire was pushed back, crews went back into an offensive mode to move up and fully knockdown the fire. No injuries were reported.

LAFD Incident: 071420-0135

LAFD Saves More Than 30 Businesses From Van Nuys Blaze by Los Angeles Fire Department

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VAN NUYS - At 2:44PM on October 12, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 7056 Van Nuys Boulevard. 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 abutted the fire building while there was a small separation with the building to the south. 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

Chatsworth Blaze Destroys Business by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 9:53PM on December 16, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to 20150 W Sunburst St for a reported structure fire.

The first arriving fire companies found a one story, commercial building with fire through the roof and requested additional resources. The 28,556 square foot building, built in 1981, was well involved in fire and a decision was quickly made to transition to a defensive mode.

Truck companies put ladder pipes into operation and firefighters used large diameter hand lines to hit the target from all sides. Crews successfully defended the adjacent structures from sustaining damage.

Ultimately, over 120 firefighters working under the leadership of Assistant Chief Corey Rose achieved a knockdown in one hour and thirty-four minutes. One firefighter was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening burn injuries.

The concrete, tilt-up building sustained heavy damage, to include roof collapse, which left it dangerously vulnerable to further collapse of the walls. Consequently, the Department of Building and Safety red-tagged the structure for safety purposes. Overhaul operations and cause investigation were held off until morning while fire companies remained on scene in a fire watch. The RS3 Robotic Firefighting Vehicle was also on scene to assist with interior operations if needed through the night.

LAFD Incident: 121620-1711

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

LAFD Prevents Burning Hillside Home from Sparking Brush Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

1

TARZANA - At 6:24 PM on Monday, August 2, 2021, LAFD responded to the 19600 block of West Valdez Drive, where a two-story hillside home was engulfed in flames, with fire starting to ignite nearby brush. Firefighters began the attack in defensive mode (from the exterior only), and later transitioned to offensive (inside the structure) to finish tracking down all of the fire within. Ultimately, it took 57 LAFD firefighters 33 minutes to extinguish the flames and keep a larger brush fire from ignition. The family escaped unharmed, but four will be displaced. No reported injuries.

LAFD Incident: 080221-1355

Sun Valley Structure Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

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At 8:47PM on March 14, 2021 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 11100 block of W Cantara St in Sun Valley. Firefighters quickly extinguished fire in a one story, single family dwelling in 22 minutes with no injuries reported.

LAFD Incident: 031421-1209

Sun Valley Commercial Fire by Los Angeles Fire Department

At 3:13PM on April 22, 2022 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the 8200 block of N San Fernando Road in Sun Valley for a reported structure fire.

Firefighters arrived to find a one story, commercial building with fire showing. This was a vacant structure which had previously burned.

43 firefighters extinguished the fire in 20 minutes with no injuries reported. The fire was contained to the building of origin, prevented from extending to the attached businesses.

LAFD Incident 042222-1018

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