Firefighters arrived quickly to find smoke showing from a one-story 165' x 100' commercial building that appeared to be closed for the business day. Forcing their way through rolling steel and entry doors, firefighters discovered extreme fire conditions throughout a graphics design and direct mail marketing firm heavily loaded with combustible printing and printed materials.
The offensive interior attack on the fire proved short lived as flames roared through the roof, compromising the structure within ten minutes of the 9-1-1 call that brought scores of Los Angeles Firefighters to the scene.
Within minutes of a swift and well-coordinated transition to defensive operations, the intense heat within the structure caused the catastrophic failure of a forklift mounted propane cylinder, propelling shrapnel through a section of rolling steel door that had yet to be opened.
As flames leapt more than 50 feet into the darkening sky, multiple large diameter hoselines were deployed from strategically placed aerial ladders and key ground locations, as teams of firefighters entered nearby businesses to limit the horizontal spread of fire.
The fire was confined within the business of origin, and fully extinguished in less than five hours. No injuries were reported.
With concern that changing weather was causing potentially irritating smoke from the fire to linger uncharacteristically at ground level, experts from the South Coast Air Quality Management District were summoned to assure neighborhood comfort and safety.
Fire loss to the firm of "Aaron, Thomas & Associates" is estimated at $7,000,000 ($5,000,000 contents and $2,000,000 structure). The cause of this fire remains under active investigation.
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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
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