Echo Park Blaze Damages Businesses, Injures Firefighter

ECHO PARK - A conflagration in a three-story office building alongside the Hollywood Freeway slowed traffic Tuesday night, as it damaged six businesses and sent one firefighter to the hospital.

The fire was reported on October 9, 2012 at 9:57 PM, bringing the quick response of firefighters to 1625 Palo Alto Street in Echo Park, where they discovered heavy fire to the rear of a tri-level multi-tenant commercial building.
With vegetation and the structure burning intensely on the north side of the building, teams of firefighters made forcible entry from the east and west to search the premises and protect contents while mounting an interior offense on the flames with handlines.

It was a difficult battle.

To assist the firefight and limit the spread of flame, more than a dozen LAFD personnel took to the building's 80' x 100' roof with chainsaws to strategically vent heat and smoke, in an attempt to stem the forward progress of the fire and make the building's interior more tenable for their colleagues below fighting flames and salvaging business records.

Despite oppressive conditions on the third and second floor, a tenacious firefighting offense continued there for nearly one-half hour, until physical compromise of the structure forced a well-coordinated transition to defensive operations with the external application of heavy streams.

Though as many as five firefighters were examined for potential injury, only one LAFD member required hospital care for a pair of painful dime-sized burns to his neck. In good condition, he was taken to the hospital by ambulance for first care, where he was treated and released.

No other injuries were reported.

It took the combined effort of 125 Los Angeles Firefighters less than two hours to fully extinguish the flames. The fire was confined to the structure of origin, with the bulk of fire damage limited to the attic, entire third floor and a portion of the second floor. Thanks to comprehensive salvage efforts by LAFD responders, a great number of business records were spared damage from flames or water, as was a good portion of the building's first floor.

The varied damage from fire to the businesses, including a button manufacturer, house of worship, janitorial service, auto loan firm and two printing businesses, is still being tabulated. The cause of this late night blaze remains under active investigation.

Dispatched Units: E220 T20 RA20 E6 RA6 E11 EM11 BC11 E52 T11 E211 E12 E9 T9 E3 T3 E203 RA3 RA803 EM1 E233 T33 E15 DC1 E27 E235 T35 SQ21 BC1 T10 E210 BC5 BC2 RA29 RA46 UR88 E226 T26 E2 AR1 E21 EA1 T94 E294 T64 E264 T29 E229 E17 AR7 AR17 T26 E226 BC11 AR17

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Multi-Story Residential Blaze in Echo Park

ECHO PARK - A relentless fire in a multi-story residence, required more than 150 Los Angeles Firefighters and  two water dropping helicopters to extinguish. The October 12, 2011 incident was reported by multiple 9-1-1 callers at 5:41 PM, bringing a rapid response from Firefighters as they ascended narrow roads en route to 1357 North Elysian Park Drive, just west of Dodger Stadium.

Arriving at a three-story Craftsman-style residence with a basement, Firefighters made access and quickly extinguished the flames on the first floor, however they still had fire roaring on the floors above, through the attic and in the basement.

Truck Companies assigned to the roof, aggressively performed vertical ventilation with chainsaws, as fire blew from each hole that was cut. The environment then became unsafe and required a quick exit from the roof, before it collapsed.

As scores of additional Firefighters were dispatched, the strategic decision was made to request water dropping helicopters. They were able to survey downwind for burning embers, while having the capability to swiftly halt advancing flames if they spread to the hillside. Ultimately, one precise water drop on the burning structure itself, was all that was required.

Through the exhausting assault, Firefighters, for a time, went into "defensive mode," exiting the untenable structure to do battle from the exterior. Then, once additional headway was made, they re-entered the wood-sided, century-old house to attack the flames head-on.

Firefighters continually overcame heavy fire on multiple floors of this balloon construction house, protecting adjacent residences and ensuring flames did not spread to nearby, volatile vegetation. As if that wasn't enough, live ammunition that had been stored on the second floor, discharged in the midst of the firefight.

Battalion Chief Fred Mathis stated, "...another challenge we faced was access to the hilltop house. There was one way in and out. After the first apparatus arrived, all those following had to stack one behind the other, downhill. This required some Firefighters to carry gear up a 1/4 mile, then back again to exchange air bottles. It was a tough location. They did a great job!"

This "Major Emergency Structure Fire" was fully extinguished in one hour and 16 minutes by 165 Firefighters. Fortunately, due to an aggressive attack and sound command, no one was injured.

One owner of the residence, a senior, was compassionately evaluated by Firefighter/Paramedics on-scene. She did not require transport to a hospital.

There was extensive damage to one side of the residence, however it was not a total loss. The estimated dollar loss was $300,000 ($250,000 structure and $50,000 contents).

The cause of the fire is under active investigation.

Dispatched Units:
E11 E3 BC11 E9 E220 T20 RA3 RA803 EM6 E29 E203 T3 E6 SQ21 DC2 BC1 E15 E211 T11 EM2 BC2 UR3 T27 E227 RA827 T5 E205 UR88 BC5 RA20 RA27 E27 H0E H0B E205 T5 H2 H4 E90 E215 T15 EA2 RT59 RA1 E226 T26 E21 RA56 RA11 EM11 T90 E290 AR1 T61 E261 E5 E89 SU1 T12 E212 E63 T39 E239 RA6

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Firefighters Rapidly Extinguish Flames At Dodger Stadium

On Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 8:47 PM, 6 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, 1 Emergency Air Unit all under the direction of Assistant Chief Daryl Arbuthnott responded to a Structure Fire at 1000 Elysian Park Avenue in Echo Park.

Los Angeles Firefighters arrived to find a moderate amount of lazy smoke drifting across the Top Deck of Dodger Stadium. Firefighters swiftly made their way through crowds of baseball fans while additional colleagues entered the Stadium from an aerial ladder truck.

A small fire comprised predominately of paper goods was located inside an approximate 20' x 20' storage room, made of cinder block construction.

Some fans seated in the Top Deck were calmly moved to another area due to residual smoke, but there was no need for a formal evacuation of the stadium, and play was not stopped. Dodger's staff addressed the public stating "Attention Please: There was a small fire in a confined area that is under control and contained. The Los Angeles Fire Department is onscene and there is no need to evacuate."

Due to the prompt response of 42 Los Angeles Firefighters the flames were confined to the area of origin and fully extinguish in just 20 minutes before anyone was injured. Careful preservation was given to protecting Dodger property and gas powered blowers were strategically utilized to direct remaining smoke away from fans.

The estimated dollar loss is $20,000 ($5,000 property and $15,000 contents). The cause of the fire is under active investigation.

(Home Video)

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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