Massive Blaze Causes $2.5M Damage to Sun Valley Furniture Firm

SUN VALLEY - A massive blaze Monday evening in a northeast San Fernando Valley industrial enclave put scores of Los Angeles Firefighters to the test, as the inferno combined with high outdoor temperature and humidity to make an overtly oppressive battle.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned by a passerby who called 9-1-1 at 5:09 PM on July 1, 2013 to report smoke showing from a large one-story industrial building at 9415 Telfair Avenue.

Arriving quickly, LAFD crews discovered increasingly heavy smoke from the 200' x 75' structure of cinder-block construction, that was well secured and unoccupied at the end of the business day.

As teams of firefighters took to the roof, their colleagues extended large diameter hose lines to each side of the building and used power saws to force their way through rolling steel doors in an attempt to gain access to the seat of increasingly intense flames that fed on material and remnants of furniture manufacturing, as well as chemicals and cardboard used in furniture finishing and shipping.

With ambient temperature of 95°F, relative humidity of at least 23% and variable winds up to 9 miles per hour, the conditions were difficult for the 161 LAFD personnel assigned to the incident.

A sudden yet predictable failure of the lightweight roof allowed flames and smoke to tower in the sky, as Assistant Chief Trevor Richmond coordinated a smooth and safe transition to defensive tactics, bringing large hose streams to bear on the flames from ground crews and several aerial ladders at the periphery of the building.

The flames were confined to the building of fire origin, and extinguished in 1 hour and 52 minutes. LAFD crews spent an additional 15.5 hours on-site performing salvage and overhaul at the business, which was heavily damaged in the conflagration.

Though several firefighters were assessed and treated at scene to combat the effect of dehydration throughout the firefight and recovery operation, none required ambulance transport to the hospital.

Fire loss to Kalfon Crafts Corporation, a maker of furniture & cabinetry, has been estimated at $2,500,000 ($1,000,000 structure and $1,500,000 contents).

The cause of this early evening blaze remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Dispatched Units: E77 E298 E98 T98 E289 T89 RA889 E7 RA81 EM14 BC12 BC14 E81 E260 E60 T60 E239 E39 T39 DC3 EM15 BC10 T27 E227 UR27 E5 UR88 BC5 RA27 RA827 E27 RA39 EM9 EM10 E90 E275 T75 E91 E290 T90 AR2 RA898 MD1 RT83 RA77 BC1 E287 T87 E11 E237 T37 E24 E274 T74 E86 EA2 BC15 BC17 DT1 HU89 SQ21 BC1 SQ87 E105 T88 E288 E66 T94 E294 T15 E215 E88 E89 E98 AR2 AR3 AR23

[ photos ]

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

Follow @LAFD and @LAFDtalk on Twitter and find us on Facebook

Article any source