Fire Damages Central-Alameda Strip Mall

LOS ANGELES, CA — It took firefighters one hour and 15 minutes to extinguish a fire Sunday at a Central-Alameda strip mall.

The fire was reported at 3:03 a.m. in an L-shaped mall in the 1700 block of East Vernon Avenue, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart. The 80 responding firefighters had the fire out at 4:18 a.m.

Flames were through the roof when firefighters arrived, Stewart said. They took up defensive positions outside a middle unit and fought flames from atop and inside other units to protect them from catching fire, Stewart said.

By 3:55 a.m., the firefighters had put out the fire in the main unit, she said. "There is roof collapse over the original fire unit," Stewart added.

The facade proved difficult but, she said, no injuries were reported.

The strip mall contained 12 units. Firefighters contained the fire to two units, which were two restaurants.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health was responding, per protocol, Stewart said.

— City News Service