Fire Engulfs Downtown LA Toy Company

Los Angeles CA

18 February, 2022

2:56 PM

Description

LOS ANGELES, CA — A fire damaged a commercial building housing a toy company in downtown Los Angeles Friday, but no one was hurt. Firefighters sent to 630 S. San Pedro St. at 6:41 a.m. extinguished the fire in 43 minutes, said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The cause of the fire was under investigation. "The first arriving fire companies reported heavy smoke showing from a two-story, commercial building, doing business as 'ABC Toys,' and immediately requested additional resources," Stewart said in a statement. More than 100 firefighters were sent to the battle the flames, and the incident was classified as a "major emergency fire," Stewart said. "While truck companies headed to the roof for ventilation efforts, firefighters conducted forcible entry to ensure all portals of entry/exit were open and an interior fire attack deployed," Stewart said. "Crews quickly encountered fire on the first floor and knocked it back." The fire was already on the second floor, however, so firefighters went upstairs to seek out the source of the flames, Stewart said. Meanwhile, other firefighters cut ventilation holes on the roof. "With heavy fire burning through the ventilation holes cut into the roof, firefighters knew there was a well-established attic fire ... (and they) continued to make their way up through the second floor, battling back flames as they accessed the attic and made a direct attack on the blaze," Stewart said. "Their coordinated efforts alleviated the need to go to a defensive mode and prevented the total loss of the structure," Stewart said. "Preliminary information is this was an outside fire which extended in," Stewart said. "In accordance with protocol for a Major Emergency structure fire, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section is investigating the cause of the fire." City News Service