Massive Fire In Downtown LA Collapses Roof At Clothing Distributer

LOS ANGELES, CA — It took 120 firefighters over four hours to extinguish a massive fire that broke out at a commercial building downtown Friday morning, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The fire was reported about 5:10 a.m. in the single-story building in the 1400 block of South Main Street that housed a clothing business. The fire burned through the roof and generated a plume of smoke that could be seen for miles, according to the LAFD.

Firefighters found a heavy load in the building: The business distributes t-shirts, and there was a large amount of inventory within the structure. Those textiles burned readily and continued to fuel the fire, the LAFD said.

"Firefighters continued operating in defensive mode for several hours, knocking back flare-ups from adjacent rooftops, and protecting the neighboring buildings," the LAFD said.

As firefighters battled the fire, the roof partially collapsed.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Though the flames have been extinguished, crews will continue to work to uncover hotspots smoldering in the rubble, according to the LAFD.