Major Emergency Structure Fire in Downtown Los Angeles
At the height of the battle, 22 LAFD fire companies fought to save a row of businesses in Downtown Los Angeles from a blaze that consumed two buildings.
At 1:12PM on June 19, 2025 the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 215 E Winston Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The first arriving fire companies found a row of commercial buildings with smoke showing and initiated an offensive fire attack.
As firefighters made their way into the building, they encountered heavy storage conditions which hindered their ability to reach the seat of the fire towards the back of the building. Crews battled for over forty minutes, but the blaze extended into the adjoining structure and the intensity grew.
Due to deteriorating conditions and an unchecked fire, the incident commander, Assistant Chief Melford Beard, made the decision to transition to a defensive operation and deploy master streams.
Three hours into the incident, firefighters extinguished the bulk of the fire but due to remaining pockets of fire, official knockdown was not yet declared. The RS3 Robotic Firefighting Vehicle was deployed to reach the fire remaining in areas unsafe for firefighters to access.
Over 100 firefighters fought diligently and saved the surrounding businesses, achieving knockdown at 7:27PM. The fire was held to the building of origin (built in 1916) and the adjacent structure on the east side. Per protocol for a Major Emergency structure fire, LAFD Arson and Counter-Terrorism Section (ACTS) is conducting a cause investigation.
