Huge fire burns at boarded-up downtown L.A. building with ‘potential for collapse’ (PHOTOS)
Updated 10:22 pm EDT, Thursday, October 30, 2016
In this May 15, 2014 photo, fire fighters are seen at the fire that tore through a historic building near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles. A fire that tore through a historic building in downtown Los Angeles Wednesday night was so big, it was seen as “potential for collapse” by one fire chief. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) less
In this May 15, 2014 photo, fire fighters are seen at the fire that tore through a historic building near Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in Los Angeles. A fire that tore through a historic building in… more
Photo: Mark J. Terrill
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One story is unfolding in the wake of a powerful fire on Wednesday night that burned through a historic building in downtown Los Angeles, sending thousands of panicked residents fleeing on the streets and prompting fire chief Daryl F. Haney to warn of “potentially catastrophic” damage.
The blaze began in the front of the eight-story structure at 9:10 p.m., and spread to other nearby buildings before firefighters could bring it under control. It was reported to be five alarms, with a total of eight firefighters battling to gain access.
“It’s really bad,” Haney told reporters Wednesday night in a phone interview, adding that the blaze was so strong it should also be considered an arson fire. “It’s really dark, and there’s so much smoke inside.”
The fire also destroyed the garage next to the building where the building is located, according to a report Thursday morning by the Los Angeles Times. The fire also burned through a storage unit, a portion of the building’s roof, and another parking space, leaving behind blackened remains of charred metal.
“All of the floors are burning. It’s a fire that’s spreading,” he said.
There was no fire on the other side of the building, making it difficult to determine the cause.
