Greater Alarm Fire Breaks Out Downtown, Extinguished

LOS ANGELES, CA — Firefighters monitored for hot spots Saturday morning in the smoldering remains of a clothing business in downtown Los Angeles that sustained significant damage from a blaze that burned for more than two hours and blew through the roof of the 100-foot-by-200-foot building.

The fire was reported at 8 p.m. Friday in a one-story, 10,832 square- foot building at 917 South San Julian St., near Ninth Street, according to Capt. Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Nearly 100 firefighters responded to battle the fire, but by 8:36 p.m., they had to pull out because of the building's "deteriorating conditions," spokesperson Margaret Stewart said.

"It was determined the fire was above the interior crews, likely on a mezzanine, which was inaccessible to them," Scott said.

At 10 p.m., Stewart said firefighters had made enough progress to move back inside the building.

"This move (was) needed so they can reach the remaining pockets of fire inaccessible by the master streams from the outside," Stewart said.

A total of 109 firefighters battled the flames and a knock down was called at 10:12 p.m., she said.

One firefighter suffered a heat-related illness and was taken to a hospital in fair condition, but returned to full duty a short time later, Scott said.

LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section responded and are actively investigating the cause of the fire, following protocol for an incident of this size, Scott said.

—City News Service