Firefighters Aggressive Attack Saved Nearby Businesses

On Friday, September 18, 2009 at 3:06 PM, 12 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 3 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 Battalion Chief Trevor Richmond responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 6814 South Crenshaw Boulevard in the community of Hyde Park.

Engine 95 quickly arrived to find a one story commercial building well involved with fire. The business was an auto repair shop and the bulk of the smoke and fire was 150' from the street in the rear of the building. An immediate and well synchronized offensive attack was made by firefighters inside the building and on the roof.

Additional businesses in close proximity were threatened by the fire, but due to a very aggressive attack of all firefighters on scene and good communication skills of the Incident Commander, the fire was confined to only one business. Ninety five firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze in just 21 minutes. A 62 year old male was treated and released for non-life threatening injuries.

The cause was attributed to a leaking fuel pump that caught fire in one automobile that was in the rear of the structure. The dollar loss was $175,000 total ($100,000 for the structure and $75,000 for the contents).

Submitted by Erik Scott
Los Angeles Fire Department