Firefighters Battle Commercial Blaze In South Gate

SOUTH GATE, CA — Firefighters battled a two-alarm blaze in a commercial structure in South Gate early Saturday.

The fire was reported at 1:16 a.m. Saturday in the 5900 block of East Firestone Boulevard near El Paseo Street, Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman Fred Fielding told City News Service.

The first units arrived at 1:19 a.m. A second alarm was called at 1:23 a.m., Fielding said.

Video from the scene showed black smoke and flames shooting through the roof of the single-story building.

It was the heavy smoke and flames that caused the 78 firefighters to take up defensive positions outside the building, pouring water on the flames until they were out about an hour later, LACo Fire Capt. David Dancic told City News Service from the scene.

The business was an automotive shop, Dancic said.

An arson investigator was working to determine the cause of the blaze, he said.

No injuries were reported.