LOS ANGELES, CA – A fire at a flooring business in the Central-Alameda area next to Vernon flared up again early Tuesday, burning nearby power poles about a day after crews declared it knocked down, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The fire first broke out at about 1:02 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at 5505 S. Alameda St., near South Alameda Street and East 55th Street, according to the LAFD’s incident alert. The department said the blaze kicked up again at about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10.
No injuries had been reported as of Tuesday morning. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power shut down power lines that were posing a hazard, the LAFD said.
Flare-up burns nearby power poles
The LAFD said the fire had kicked up again and was also burning power poles near the building. Crews returned to the lot and were again fighting the fire with water.
Thick, black smoke rose over the area Tuesday morning as firefighters worked among piles of twisted metal and burning material.
The department also posted a Central-Alameda update and a media briefing alert for the fire on social media. The LAFD’s alert lists the location in its South Bureau and in Council District 9.
Building fully involved when crews arrived
The LAFD said in a news release that the first units arrived to find “a 100-by-150-foot commercial building fully involved with flames.” The department’s incident alert recorded the first arriving unit’s report as a 100-by-100-foot building, with crews operating in offensive mode.
The building housed an industrial flooring business specializing in hardwood and cork materials. The fire spread to an adjoining two-story metal-clad structure in a four-building connected complex.
About 200 firefighters respond
About 200 LAFD firefighters, assisted by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, fought the fire. Incident Command escalated the response to a Major Emergency and switched to defensive operations, using master streams.
The LAFD declared knockdown at 5:24 a.m. Monday, four hours and 22 minutes after the 911 call. The department said at that point that overhaul operations, the work of reaching and extinguishing remaining fire, were expected to continue for several days.
Robot and heavy equipment reach hidden fire
Much of the work involved pockets of fire hidden inside palletized storage. The LAFD said it brought in special units, including Heavy Equipment and RS3, the department’s firefighting robot, to help expose, access and pull apart the burning materials.
LAFD Capt. Branden Silverman told reporters at the scene that the building held a significant amount of combustible material piled high inside.
Arcing power lines and propane tanks
The LAFD said arcing high-tension electrical lines on the property presented an additional hazard during the Monday firefight. LADWP shut down the arcing lines.
Silverman said firefighters had to work around the arcing power lines and that crews protected propane tanks on the property.
Road restrictions and agencies involved
The LAFD said traffic restrictions were in place around the site. It advised drivers to avoid the area from East 50th Street on the north to Slauson Avenue on the south, and from Alba Street on the west to Alameda Street on the east. Road closures remained around the site Tuesday.
The department said the fire would not affect train service and that the smell of smoke would dissipate over the next few days.
The LAFD said multiple agencies were coordinating on the effort: the Los Angeles Police Department, LADWP, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
Cleanup expected to take several days
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The LAFD’s Monday estimate that overhaul would take several days came before Tuesday’s flare-up.
No injuries have been reported, and crews remained at the scene Tuesday as firefighting and cleanup continued.
