PREDAWN FIRE ERUPTS IN BOARDED-UP EAST HOLLYWOOD BUILDING
A massive predawn fire erupted in a vacant building in East Hollywood, requiring over 60 firefighters to battle the flames for more than 60 minutes before gaining control.
On April 5, 2026 at 3:17AM, the Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire in the 300 block of Vermont Avenue in East Hollywood. Firefighters arrived to find a vacant/boarded-up, four-story building (three floors residential over one floor of commercial units) with heavy smoke showing from the third floor.
The vacant structure is the site of a previous burn with heavy interior damage. Firefighters initially made their way into the structure to begin firefighting operations, but Incident Command determined it was unsafe for them to progress due to the building's compromised structural integrity. Company commanders ordered all members to exit the building and commence defensive firefighting operations from the exterior.
Under the command of Vermont IC (Assistant Chief Doug Lewis), multiple fire trucks utilized ladder pipes to douse the blaze from above while firefighters continued to battle the blaze on the ground with large-diameter hand lines. After one hour and 7 minutes, firefighters extinguished the fire with no injuries reported and prevented it from damaging any other structures. Additionally, LAFD deployed drone units to gain situational awareness and identify hotspots using thermal imaging technology.
Per protocol, LAFD Arson responded and is conducting an active investigation into the cause of the fire.
