Blaze Destroys Downtown Business
Heavy fire ripped through a produce business in Downtown Los Angeles, leaving the building in ruins.
At 3:21 PM on June 8, 2020 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 800 block of S Kohler Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The first arriving fire companies found heavy fire showing from a large, over 12,000 square foot, commercial building. The produce market was open for business and all occupants were self-evacuating as LAFD arrived on scene.
With fire through the roof and a growing blaze making its way through the structure, an interior fire attack was not feasible. Crews went to work deploying master streams and large hand lines to hit the flames from the exterior. They faced the added challenge of high winds affecting both the fire behavior and the integrity of the water stream.
A second building was threatened, with only a small alley separating it from the danger. Multiple companies were placed along this alley, giving them the angle to both continue to put water on the fire while also successfully defending the adjacent structure from harm.
Ultimately, 112 firefighters under the leadership of Assistant Chief Timothy Ernst extinguished the fire in one hour and 41 minutes with no injuries reported. Due to the size of the building and the compromised structural integrity, heavy equipment was deployed to assist with the extensive overhaul operations.
Per protocol for a Major Emergency fire, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section responded for the investigation, which remains ongoing.
