Los Angeles Greater Alarm Commercial Structure Fire

On Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 12:43 PM, 14 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 Rehab Air Tender, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 6 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 101 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, as well as 2 CERT Coordinators, all under the direction of Assistant Chief Daryl Arbuthnott, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 5076 West Pico Boulevard in Mid-City Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Firefighters arrived swiftly to discover thick smoke banked to street level and all but obliterating a block-long row of one story commercial structures, as well as the adjacent roadway.

Firefighters quickly took to the roof of the 40′ x 50′ burning structure to perform vertical ventilation with chainsaws, as their colleagues extended handlines to battle intense flames within the pair of conjoined home furnishing businesses.

With horizontal fire spread curtailed, firefighters confined the fire to the firms, extinguishing the flames in just 35 minutes.

There were no injuries.

Described by the landlord as separate businesses, loss to the establishments operating under the common banners of “Creative Designs Furniture” and “Artistic Carpentry“, is estimated at $170,000 ($75,000 & $30,000 structures and $50,000 & $15,000 contents).

Though fire origin has been localized to a spray booth being used in lacquer application, the specific cause of the fire remains undetermined.

West Coast 911 Firefighting News Source - Press Release Written by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman Los Angeles Fire Department