Huge fire burns at boarded-up downtown L.A. building with ‘potential for collapse’
Updated at 10 p.m. to say investigators believe the fire was a result of wiring.
A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter drops water on the scene of a massive fire Wednesday night on the roof of a building that was illegally boarded up with no emergency egress. less A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter drops water on the scene of a massive fire Wednesday night on the roof of a building that was illegally boarded up with no emergency egress…. more Photo: Getty Images Photo: Getty Images Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Huge fire burns at boarded-up downtown L.A. building with ‘potential for collapse’ 1 / 11 Back to Gallery
A fire broke out Wednesday morning at a boarded-up downtown building within a few blocks of Staples Center, according to multiple sources close to the investigation.
Firefighters and medics responded around 8:30 a.m. after receiving a call from a resident who said she smelled something strange burning, according to first responders.
Authorities said the fire was contained to the 30-story building at 3rd and Hill streets, which had been boarded up with no access to its second and third floors.
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As they arrived, the fire was contained to the roof, and crews had just begun using a lath on the top of the structure when they were alerted that the fire had spread to the second and third floors, which contained residential apartments.
The fire was reported to be in the process of being extinguished by 10 a.m.
The building was in an excellent condition when the fire began, the Fire Department said. The interior was not at risk of collapsing until it reached the second floor and the fire would likely continue to burn there until the building could be fully evacuated, officials said.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is still under investigation, officials said.
The fire may have been caused by malfunctioning electrical wiring, the fire department said.
An investigation into the origin and cause of the fire is ongoing.
