On Sunday, August 30th, 2009 at 8:29 AM, 15 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 Helicopter, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief John Drake responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 1800 N. Camino Palmero, in West Hollywood Hills.

Firefighters arrived to find a large three story single family dwelling with heavy smoke and fire showing from one room on the second floor. Fire crews quickly commenced the deployment of handlines, but met the difficult task of forcible entry into the structure. Interior fire attack teams worked diligently to find the source of the flames, while roof operation teams cut several holes attempting to locate the origin of the fire.

It took firefighters several minutes to find the main fire, with only thick heavy pressurized smoke visible. As crews continued to work exhaustibly, the fire had spread rapidly through the walls as well as into the attic of the large home.Due to the angle of the fire, water had to be supplied to the roof team to begin extinguishing the bulk of the flames.

Several firefighters working in and on top the structure were forced rotate their operations, for rest and rehabilitation, due to high rigorous demand. It took 103 firefighters just over two hours to knocked down the blaze.

One Fire Captain suffered a minor burn to one hand, along with two firefighters who suffered from heat exhaustion, all three were treated and released at the hospital and are expected to recover. The dollar loss is $3,000,000 ($1,500,000 for structure and $1,500,000 for contents). The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Submitted by Devin Gales,Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Fire Engulfs Large 3 Story Home in Hollywood

Residents in the immediate path of a brush fire should follow the orders of uniformed public safety officials.

Location specific evacuation orders are usually provided door-to-door or via loudspeaker by Law Enforcement personnel.

Residents in high danger areas should remain vigilant for such direct, personal and focused contact. We always recommend that residents of high-risk locations be prepared to evacuate on short notice.

Those who may become endangered but are not in the immediate path of advancing flames, are encouraged to stay tuned to local media, especially news radio.

In the greater Los Angeles area, *live* radio interviews with fire officials is routinely broadcast on:

AM 1070 - KNX (listen now)

We encourage Los Angeles residents to find and "save" news radio stations on their battery-powered portable and vehicle radios.

In a Wildfire, Knowledge Is Power!

Tell A Friend!

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Listen To News Radio During Local Wildfires

On Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at 5:05 PM, 16 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief Daryl Arbuthnott responded to a Major Structure Fire at 2016 Mateo Pl. in Industrial East Side.

Firefighters arrived on scene to find a 50 by 80 foot, single-story commercial building with heavy smoke and fire billowing from the structure. An immediate and well synchronized offensive attack was made by firefighters inside the building and on the roof.

The blaze began to compromise the roof and the Incident Commander ordered all firefighters out of the building and a progression to a defensive strategy ensued. Using profuse amounts of water via large hose lines and aerial ladder pipes from the exterior of the building, firefighters were able to prevent the spread of the fire into adjacent businesses.

A knock down was declared in only 24 minutes with the help of 113 Firefighters. There were no injuries reported. The dollar loss is $375,000 ($125,000 for property and $250,000 for contents). The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Major Commercial Fire turned into Defensive Attack

On Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 9:05 AM, 11 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 6 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief Greg West responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 15236 Erwin St. in Van Nuys.

Firefighters swiftly arrived at a 150 by 75 foot commercial building made of cinder block showing heavy smoke. The building was occupied by Astro Chrome & Polishing and as firefighters approached, warning placards were noticed indicating the building’s contents could react adversely to large quantities of water. LAFD Hazardous Materials Squad was immediately requested and handlines were quickly deployed and judiciously used in unison with vertical ventilation.

The fire had originated from a lacquer spray booth and was primarily contained to office space. Injuries consisted of two patients treated for smoke inhalation and transported to local hospitals.

It took 84 firefighters only 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze. The fire’s cause was electrical and the dollar loss is $200,000 ($100,000 for property and $100,000for contents).

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Handles a Commercial Building Fire in Van Nuys

On Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 12:38 AM, 8 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 3 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Chris Kawai responded to a High Rise Rescue at 6464 W. Sunset Bl. in Hollywood.

Firefighters promptly arrived to a 12 story high rise, to find four persons clinging to near vertical scaffolding eight stories above ground on the East side of the building.

One of the scaffolding cables malfunctioned, causing a side of the platform to quickly plunge, resulting in the workers sliding to the end of the scaffolding which was then being held by only one cable. Firefighters darted into action and broke out a window on the eighth story to begin a Rescue Operation to free the victims. LAFD’s elite Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists headed the precise operation.

Meanwhile Paramedics and EMT’s readied themselves on the eighth floor to care for their anticipated patients. Thanks to the joint effort of all 71 firefighters the victims were successfully rescued in just 46 minutes from the time dispatched.

Two males, ages 40 & 46, were transported to local hospitals for non-life threatening injuries, while the other two victims required no medical treatment. All were thankful for the life saving response of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - 4 Rescued from 12 Story High Rise in Hollywood

On Monday, August 24, 2009 at 0:43 AM, 15 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Assistant Chief Terry Manning responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 3510 E 14th St in South Boyle Heights.

Firefighters arrived swiftly to a 50 x 100 foot commercial building fully involved with heavy smoke and fire showing through the roof. As crews began their initial attack into the structure, they met the challenge of gaining access through two large rolling steel doors.

Firefighters encountered heavy fire at the doors and deployed large handlines to begin knocking down the bulk of the flames. A consideration was made to go toward a defensive attack, as the building became more and more unstable. Additional handlines were set in place to facilitate protection of the adjacent structures. All roof operations were halted due to partial roof collapse.

It took 106 Firefighters just under one hour to completely extinguish the blaze. There were however no injuries on this incident.

The estimated dollar loss is still being tabulated and the cause of the early morning blaze is under investigation.

Submitted by Devin Gales
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Blaze Rips Through Commercial In Boyle Heights

On Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 1:57 PM, 20 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 1 LAFD Rescue Ambulance, 5 Helicopters, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, 4 LACO Hand Crews with 3 supervisors, 1 LACO Helicopter under the direction of Assistant Chief Mark Stormes responded to a Greater Alarm Brush Fire at 24440 Bell Canyon Rd. in Woodland Hills.

Firefighters arrived to find 1/4 acres of grass and brush burning alongside the steep hills near Bell Canyon Park, just at the border of Ventura County. Although the fire was moving slow, ground crews quickly assessed the need for helicopters, as handlines were unable to reach the bulk of the fire. Water dropping helicopters were quickly called in to attack the blaze from the air, while firefighters on the ground continued to reach the head of the fire though rough terrain.

With relatively slow wind speeds being 5 mph, a humidity of 28%, and the temperature at 89 degrees, firefighters were able to knock down the fire in less than 1 hour and 48 minutes. Due to the strong efforts of 122 firefighters, the flames were completely extinguished with no surrounding homes involved.

Two firefighters were later reported to have sustained minor injuries during the fire fight, with one being transported to an area hospital for observation and another treated and released at the scene.

A total of 8 acres was consumed by this blaze with the cause being attributed to a Traffic Collision on Bell Canyon Rd.

Submitted by Devin Gales
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - 8 Acres Burn In Bell Canyon

On Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 11:29 AM, 33 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 3 Arson Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 4 LAFD Helicopters, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 202 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, joined by 4 Hand Crews, a Crew Supervisor and Helicopter from the Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as five Engine Companies, 1 Hand Crew, 2 Patrols, a Water Tender, Helicopter and Supervisor from the U.S. Forest Service, each under the Command of Los Angeles Fire Department Assistant Chief Jeffrey S. Mottram, responded to a Major Emergency Brush Fire in Oliver Canyon, a Wildland Fire Mutual Threat Zone near Foothill Boulevard and Conover Place in the Los Angeles community of Sunland.

Firefighters from the three agencies converged quickly to find nearly three acres of volatile grass and brush burning in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains during a period of seasonally intense heat but little wind.

As water-dropping helicopters commenced a synchronized aerial assault at the head of the fire, ground based firefighters anchored the flames, working the flanks of the fire along the steep and at-times unstable terrain north of the Tujunga Wash.

Keeping the flames more than 100 yards from a handful of nearby homes, firefighters held the blaze to less than twenty acres of wilderness, extinguishing the flames in just 1 hour and 46 minutes.

During emergency fireground operations in rugged terrain, a total of five firefighters sustained non-life threatening injuries. The injured included two Los Angeles Firefighters, one suffering a severe ankle sprain, the other fracturing a bone in his lower leg. Also injured were three Hand Crew members supervised by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, including one who suffered multiple bee stings, and two others who fell ill due to heat exhaustion.

All five were taken to area hospitals by LAFD Rescue Ambulance, where they were treated and released to remain off-duty.

No other injuries were reported.

The cause of this blaze remains under active investigation.


Submitted by Erik Scott & Brian Humphrey, Spokesmen
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Los Angeles Wildfire Sends 5 Firefighters To Hospital

On Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 7:00 PM, 17 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Heavy Equipment Operators, 5 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 122 Los Angeles Firefighters under the direction of Assistant Chief Richard Warford, responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 1820 South Grand Avenue in the Washington Boulevard Corridor south of the Fashion District near downtown Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find smoke showing from a pre-1933 two-story industrial building. Forcing entry through rolling steel doors of the unreinforced masonry structure, firefighters encountered heavy fire throughout the interior of the 6,250 square-foot non-fire sprinklered building.

With flammable baled and boxed textiles stored as high as ten feet - and burning across the warehouse, firefighters boldly attacked the flames with handlines, sparing three offices on the second floor and preventing the intense fire from spreading to a movie rental business to the north.

The blaze was extinguished in just 23 minutes.

During emergency operations that included breaching and removing sections of the burning roof with hand tools, one Los Angeles Firefighter sustained a significant but non-life threatening facial laceration. He was taken to California Hospital Medical Center for emergency wound care, before being released to remain off-duty.

No other injuries were reported.

With tons of smoldering textiles remaining within the confines of the 82 year-old building, Firefighter/Specialists certified in heavy equipment operation brought LAFD tractors to the scene to assist in the painstaking overhaul and complete extinguishment of debris, an effort that took nearly 11 hours.

Preliminary loss to "West Coast Jobbers, Inc.", a textile and clothing firm, has been estimated at $250,000 ($200,000 structure & $50,000 contents).

The cause of this fire remains under investigation.


(photos)

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Firefighter Injured Quelling Downtown L.A. Blaze

On Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 5:15 AM, 20 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 2 Rehab Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 135 Los Angeles Firefighters, as well as one civilian CERT Coordinator under the command of Deputy Fire Chief Mario Rueda responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 11925 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived quickly to discover heavy smoke showing from the upstairs rear of a modern two-story 'L' shaped 'strip mall' of commercial businesses.

With fire suddenly through the roof, firefighters used power and hand tools to force entry into the smoke-charged businesses. Fire teams found intensly entrenched flames in the recesses of a first floor restaurant, extending through a massage and skin care firm above.

With the expertise of firefighters performing vertical ventilation, the horizontal spread of the fire was soon stemmed, as firefighters fought the stubborn blaze on two floors beneath them.

Despite structural compromise and seemingly unyielding fire, the flames were confined to the structure of origin and extinguished in just 53 minutes.

There were no injuries.

Though not in imminent peril, two occupants of an adjacent building to the east were found to have been sleeping in their business. Awakened by firefighters, they were safely escorted from the scene.

Loss to the heavily damaged Yekta Restaurant and Wat Po Thai Spa Massage above, as well as the adjacent El Super Taco and Monte Alban Restaurant, is still being tabulated.

The cause of this pre-dawn blaze remains under active investigation.

(photos) (video) (video)


Submitted by Brian Humphrey and Devin Gales, Spokesmen
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Predawn Fire Damages West L.A. Strip Mall

Many people are surprised to learn that 16% of American fire deaths occur outside the home. That's why the Los Angeles Fire Department encourages you to prepare for emergencies - especially fire, in the many places you work, play and visit:


By safely preparing and practicing emergency procedures, you can help your own "Office" be as safe as the place you call home.

To learn more about basic fire safety, contact your Neighborhood Firefighters or visit:

www.usfa.dhs.gov

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - What If... There Was a Fire in Your Office?

On Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 4:10 PM, 39 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 5 LAFD Helicopters,1 LA County Helicopter, 1 Dozer Team, 8 Brush Patrols, 2 La County Camp Crews,1 Rehab Tender,1 EMS Battalion Captain, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, Deputy Chief Mario Rueda, Along with the assistance of LA County Fire , Burbank Fire, Pasadena Fire, Glendale Fire, and other allied agencies, under the direction of Battalion Chief Chris Logan,responded to a Major Emergency Brush Firejust above the West Bound 134 Fwy and Harvey Dr. in Eagle Rock.

In response to several spot fires, Firefighters arrived to find approximately 4 acres of light to medium brush burning uphill above the 134 Fwy. Do to the quantity of spot fires, dry brush and the wind fanning the flames in the south east direction, the fire steadily grew.

In an attempt to rapidly extinguish these flames, Firefighters utilized a joint effort with allied agencies to battle the blaze. Immediately Companies were strategically placed to commence controlling the perimeter of the main fire.
With the thought of protecting life and property, Incident Commanders ensured the appropriate resources were used and a well coordinated attack was implemented. Over 325 Firefighters made an aggressive ground and air assault, before full control and containment of the blaze was declared.

Over 60 acres were consumed by this fire with a potential threat to homes, however Fire Crews were able to stop the flames before reaching any structures. There were no reports of injuries to Civilians or Firefighters. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.


Submitted by Devin Gales, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Multiple Agencies Battle A 60 Acre Blaze

On Monday, August 3, 2009 at 6:23 AM, 13 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 EMS Battalion Captain, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Dennis Waters responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 2961 E Wynwood Ln. in South Boyle Heights.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and fire from the top floor of a 2 story apartment complex. Fire attack teams quickly deployed handlines in a effort to stop the spread of fire thru common walls. Firefighters made forceable entry into the structure and found most of the contents already consumed. Do to the strategic and simultaneous efforts of Firefighters performing vertical ventilation as well as an aggressive ground attack, the flames were confined to one unit.

The well coordinated effort of 96 Firefighters were able to mitigate and control this early morning blaze without any civilian injuries. Eight occupants were displaced and the American Red Cross was summoned to clothe and shelter these residents. There were minor facial and foot injuries to two firefighters respectively.

A knockdown was obtained in just 15 minutes limiting the damage to $250,000 ($200,000 structure & $50,000 contents). The cause of this fire was attributed to a water heater.


Submitted by Devin Gales, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - LAFD Responds In Force To Apartment Fire

On Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 11:07 AM, 6 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 41 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief Joseph Kline, responded to a Structure Fire at 1618 North Benton Way in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived swiftly to find heavy smoke showing from a two-story single family hillside residence with an attic conversion.

Forcing entry into the unoccupied 1,532 square-foot home, firefighters quickly extended handlines to do battle with well entrenched fire, as their rooftop colleagues performed strategic vertical ventilation.

With fire spreading rapidly through the walls and floors due to early 20th century construction, firefighters fought stubborn flames in voids and recesses on two levels, at times challenged by excessive personal storage.

Relentless teamwork by LAFD responders brought the flames under control in just 64 minutes, confining the blaze within the home and limiting damage to $180,000 ($150,000 structure & $30,000 contents).

There were no injuries.

Three residents, including two adults and a child, returned home to discover themselves displaced by the fire, and subsequently sought their own accommodations.

The cause of the blaze was determined to be electrical in nature.

(photo)


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Firefighters Battle Stubborn Fire in Silver Lake Home