Massive overnight fires leave multiple buildings destroyed in Los Angeles. Nathan Frandino reports.
The fire in downtown Los Angeles could be seen for miles early Monday.(Photo: Eric Politzer @epolitzerphoto)
A massive fire in downtown Los Angeles early Monday engulfed a controversial luxury apartment tower that was under construction, damaged two other buildings and left freeways and roads closed.
Part of the state 110 Freeway was reopened to help firefighters set up equipment to fight the huge blaze.
"This is a historic fire, what we as firefighters would call a career fire. It's huge," Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz told NBC News. "I really can't remember a building fire this big, and I have been with the department for 13 years."
Ortiz said he didn't think anyone was living or working there when the fire started.
More than 250 firefighters battled the fire at a controversial apartment tower under construction in the DaVinci complex in the 900 block of Fremont Avenue, Ortiz said. The building -- the size of an entire city block -- had 1.3 million square feet of floor space, and officials said two-thirds of it was consumed by flames.
The fire was so intense, nearby freeway signs melted and windows in adjacent buildings burst.
The fire was less than 100 yards away from a downtown fire station. The bulk of it was put out in 90 minutes, but firefighters continued to deal with hot spots into the early morning hours, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas.
Firefighters said the flames climbed more than 40 feet above the seven-story building. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the blaze was not yet known, but an accelerant-sniffing dog was on the scene to help arson investigators determine whether it was intentionally set, said fire department spokeswoman Katherine Main.
The LAFD said two other buildings along Figueroa Street were also damaged by the fire. Fire Department spokesman Jaime Moore said an office tower sustained fire and sprinkler water damage.
"Large windows gave under the amount of heat," Moore said, adding that sprinklers activated on six of its floors. "There was active fire on three floors."
Moore said firefighters managed to get inside both buildings and prevent the flames from spreading. The bottom two stories of the apartment complex were made of concrete; the upper five floors were made of wood frame. Much of the structure was lost.
Early Monday morning, about a dozen construction workers crowded the sidewalk on Figueroa, where the sidewalk leading up to Temple Street was blocked off. Edgar Marin, a plumbing worker for GJM Engineering who was working on the DaVinci development, was among those waiting. He heard in the morning that the building he normally worked in was burning and that it would be difficult to find parking. But he was told to head in to work.
The workers watched as fire trucks continued to pass by, waiting for the order to head home.
"Probably, if they want, we're going to work tomorrow," Marin said.
Terrazas described chaos at the scene of the fire, with its heat becoming so intense that it broke windows in nearby buildings. Parts of the apartment building scaffolding also collapsed and fell over a freeway wall not far from the 101 interchange with the 110 Freeway.
The freeway sign that directed drivers to the interchange was blackened and partially melted, with its lettering burned away.
The complex has been a pioneer in the revitalization of the area, though critics have complained about the architectural style, high rents and size of the building. The project was also controversial because the developer sought a pedestrian bridge that would link the Da Vinci to other complexes in the area and offer residents a route into downtown attractions -- and a way to avoid transient people living under the 110.
"The best form of self-defense is not being placed in a situation where you have to defend yourself," the company's proposal to city officials stated.
Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/1CZyvMZ
Source: Top Stories - Google News - http://ift.tt/1G9Kunm
0 comments:
Post a Comment