Major Emergency Structure Fire in Central City

On Thursday, February 24, 2005 at 0541 Hours (5:41 AM PST), thirty-nine Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, seven LAFD Rescue Ambulances, two EMS Battalion Captains, eight Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, one Assistant Chief Officer Command Team, one Deputy Chief, the Tractor Company, the Arson Section, and various LAFD support resources under the direction of Assistant Chief John Ware responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 832 South San Pedro Street in the Central City.

The first Company to arrive reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a 150’ x 150’ one-story commercial building. Firefighters forced entry and extended handlines into the core of the building as heavy streams were utilized to prevent the fire from spreading to a four-story apartment building. Firefighters safely rescued/assisted twelve occupants from the apartment building.

The fire was confined to the occupancy of origin and extinguished in just two hours and fifty-eight minutes. There were seven retail/wholesale occupancies within the structure with an extremely heavy fire load of fabrics, storage and garments that sustained heavy fire damage.

Loss from the fire is still being tabulated and the cause of this fire is under active investigation.