LOS ANGELES, CA – A fire that burned through the roof of a commercial building in an Inglewood strip mall Thursday was escalated to a 5-alarm response and destroyed the complex, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The fire was reported around 12:10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, in the 700 block of East Hyde Park Boulevard, just north of Edward Vincent Jr. Park. The department said no firefighters were injured and that the cause is under investigation.
Flames were seen shooting through the roof as crews arrived, and thick smoke rose over the area. The roofs of two buildings later collapsed, the department confirmed.
The strip mall is a multi-tenant commercial complex. The building was destroyed, and crews demolished the remaining structure because it was too unstable to stand safely.
Alarms escalate within 90 minutes
A fire department spokesman said a second alarm was sounded at 12:23 p.m. and a third alarm at 12:37 p.m. By 1:30 p.m., the fire had been declared a 5-alarm fire.
About 130 firefighters took part in the response, according to initial reports. Crews stayed at the scene afterward to deal with smoldering hot spots.
Crews move to defensive positions
Firefighters first worked aggressively on the building, cutting ventilation holes in the roof, a portion of which collapsed. Crews then came off the roof, and other firefighters sprayed water onto the building.
With the structure no longer safe to enter or stand on, the department shifted to a defensive strategy. Firefighters used ladder hoses to direct streams of water onto the damaged buildings from outside.
By about 1:15 p.m., few flames were visible, but thick smoke continued to rise from the smoldering structures. The department reported knockdown at 4:15 p.m.
Businesses lose their contents
Several businesses in the complex were destroyed or damaged. A family member of one of the business owners smelled smoke and had time only to run out, without taking anything from inside.
One bystander was evaluated for a possible leg or foot injury, according to initial reports. The fire department said no firefighters were hurt.
An Inglewood resident also grabbed a garden hose and helped protect nearby homes and structures while the fire burned.
Cause under investigation
The fire department has not announced what caused the fire. Construction workers were reportedly on the roof when it broke out, but officials have not tied the fire to any activity at the site.
The department’s Fire Prevention division says its Arson Fire Investigation Unit investigates major alarm fires and other fires to determine the cause or investigate suspected arson. The unit interviews witnesses, collects evidence and writes reports.
County fire department serves Inglewood
The City of Inglewood contracts with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for fire protection and emergency medical services. According to the city, Division VI of the department’s Central Operations Bureau serves Inglewood, which has four fire stations.
That arrangement is why the county department, rather than a city-operated agency, ran the response to the Hyde Park fire.
Investigation continues
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has not released a damage estimate or announced a cause. No timeline for clearing the site has been made public.
The fire remains under investigation, and the department said no firefighters were injured in the 5-alarm response.
