Los Angeles Firefighters Battle Commercial Building Fire in Central-Alameda

Los Angeles firefighters responded early Saturday morning to a commercial building fire in the Central-Alameda neighborhood after a vehicle fire spread into a nearby one-story commercial building at 2122 South Long Beach Avenue.

The first arriving engine company reached the scene at 5:51 a.m. and found a vehicle fully involved in fire that had extended into the approximately 150-foot by 100-foot commercial building. Firefighters initially entered the structure to attack the fire from the inside in what is known as an offensive firefighting operation.

As conditions inside the building rapidly deteriorated, the incident commander ordered all crews out of the structure and transitioned to a defensive firefighting operation. Firefighters continued battling the fire from outside the building using large hose streams after determining the conditions were no longer safe for interior operations.

During the fire, a portion of the roof collapsed, preventing firefighters from safely reaching some of the remaining fire inside the building. Crews will allow sections of the damaged roof to burn away before heavy equipment is brought in to remove debris and provide access to hidden hot spots. This will allow firefighters to complete overhaul operations and fully extinguish the remaining fire.

A neighboring building was exposed to smoke but did not sustain any fire damage.

Additional LAFD resources were requested during the incident, including Urban Search and Rescue personnel assigned as a Rapid Intervention Group to enhance firefighter safety. The Department of Building and Safety, Arson Unit, Department of Water and Power, Gas Company, Los Angeles Police Department, and Department of Transportation also responded to assist with the incident.

Firefighters declared knockdown at 7:04 a.m., approximately 1 hour and 13 minutes after the first engine arrived on scene. Crews remained at the incident for an extended period to extinguish remaining hot spots and conduct overhaul operations.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.