Firefighters Quell Flames at Venice Beach Condominium

On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 9:38 AM, 13 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 2 Arson Units, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 89 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel, as well as 1 Company of Los Angeles County Firefighters, all under the direction of LAFD Battalion Chief Michael Greenup, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 3817 South Ocean Front Walk in the Venice area of Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived at a three-story beachfront condominium complex, to discover smoke showing from one of three attached units.


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Met by construction workers who had been renovating the one unoccupied dwelling, firefighters commenced a well-coordinated attack on the flames, which had taken ahold of walls on the ground floor parking area and extended vertically within the recesses of the two-story unit to its attic above.

Using thermal imaging cameras and strategic vertical ventilation, firefighters greatly minimized the horizontal spread of the fire, sparing the two adjacent homes and extinguishing the stubborn flames in just 34 minutes.

No injuries were reported, and no one was displaced by the fire.

Loss to the 36 year-old wood frame and stucco building has been estimated at $200,000 ($150,000 structure & $50,000 contents). The cause of this mid-morning blaze is categorized as accidental, and attributed to construction activities.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department