Neighbor's Gas Leak Leads to Explosion in West L.A. Condominium

WEST LOS ANGELES - A leak of natural gas that seeped from one condominium to another late Monday evening in West Los Angeles, is suspected in causing an explosion that rocked the eighteen-unit building, causing a resident to sustain a leg injury.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was summoned at 10:12PM on August 27, 2012 to 1535 South Granville Avenue, where firefighters arrived quickly to discover evidence of an explosion within an upstairs unit of a two-story condominium building.

Two men inside the damaged unit told firefighters that after cooking, they had smelled natural gas in their kitchen - but were unable to identify the source. Minutes later, after one man left the room, a thunderous but fire-free explosion occurred behind the stove, fully toppling the appliance as well as a refrigerator nearby, and causing significant damage to walls shared by the kitchen and an adjacent room.

Amazingly, the man who had been standing closest to the kitchen, sustained only a laceration to his leg. The man in the adjacent room was uninjured. Both declined offered transportation to the hospital.

After securing the building's utilities and assuring there were no additional patients or hazards, firefighters determined that a natural gas-fed fireplace in the common wall of a unit below, had leaked the volatile product. Seeping upward and collecting in the upstairs wall space, the gas had apparently found a source of ignition.

A Southern California Gas Company representative joined officials from the City's Department of Building & Safety in confirming that hazards were abated before evaluating damage and determining if the building was fit for habitation. A damage estimate was not immediately available.

Dispatched Units: E59 E237 E37 T37 RA37 RA19 BC9 E19 AR2

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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One Dead when Small Plane Crashes in West Los Angeles

WEST LOS ANGELES - The fiery crash of a small airplane in West Los Angeles Friday evening, claimed the life of one person aboard. No homes or vehicles were damaged, and no one else was injured in the impact or intense flames that ensued.

In response to a spate of 9-1-1 calls at 6:14PM on August 10, 2012, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to 2054 South Glendon Avenue in West Los Angeles, where they discovered a small heavily damaged single-engine airplane well involved with fire.

The aircraft appears to have struck pavement and yardspace on the northwest corner of Glendon and Mississippi Avenues, avoiding buildings, vehicles or any person in the neighborhood of one- and two-story homes. Flames from the burning fuselage, which ignited an adjacent palm tree, were extinguished in less than five minutes.
Despite the quick efforts of LAFD responders, the sole occupant of the plane was beyond medical help, and declared dead at the scene.

A positive identification of the decedent, as well as the cause, time and manner of their death, will be determined by the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

The Los Angeles Fire Department remained at the scene for more than nine hours to assure safety, minimize environmental harm, preserve evidence, commence neighborhood recovery and assist investigators.

Pursuant of protocol, a formal investigation of the collision is underway by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Dispatched Units: E59 RA59 E292 T92 RA92 E295 T95 T61 E261 HR56 EM9 BC9 E71 T37 E237 RA859 E19 DC3 SQ21 BC18 E37 AR2 E62 EL83 RA906 AR7 RT83 T5 E205 E292 T92

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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Fire Rips Through Warehouse in West LA

WEST LOS ANGELES - Over 100 Los Angeles Firefighters extinguished a fire that ripped through a 150' x 300' office supply warehouse on Saturday December 3rd, 2011. The intense blaze was extinguished before it extended to nearby businesses, and no one was injured.

At 5:25 P.M. firefighters arrived to 2231 Barrington Avenue, to find fire showing from the exterior of the structure doing business as Office Depot, which was open for business. The flames quickly spread to wood siding that covered the building's windows and crept inside where mounds of ordinary Class A combustible storage, such as paper and office furniture was stacked.

Ascending ladders to the Conventional roof, firefighters cut a strategic 4' x 150' strip out of the 1x8 diagonal sheathing for vertical ventilation. Meanwhile additional fire crews aggressively advanced hose-lines inside, but were immediately met with an additional challenge of protecting an adjacent structure, a swimming pool supply store, before flames spread to the chemicals which could create noxious fumes.

A total of 106 firefighters under the direction of Assistant Chief Michael Little fully extinguished the blaze in one hour and three minutes while remaining in an offensive attack. The blaze was confined to the 25,835 square-foot building of origin.

The dollar loss is estimated at $1.75 million ($750,000 content & one million structure).

The cause of the fire is undetermined, however it is under investigation by LAFD's Arson Counter-Terrorism Section, whom is actively pursuing leads and interviewing persons of interest.

Dispatched Units: E59 RA59 E292 T92 RA92 E37 E62 E43 E263 T63 EM9 BC9 BC18 E67 E237 T37 E62 BC9 E43 E263 T63 E37 RA59 EM9 BC18 E19 E269 T69 DC3 SQ21 EM14 BC5 T5 E205 E5 RA5 UR88 BC4 E67 AR2 RA19 RA37 EA2 E29 T10 E210 BC11 EA1 RT59

(photos)

Submitted by Erik Scott, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

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LAFD & I-405 Freeway Closure - Update

By now, most Los Angeles residents (and even some of our visitors) are aware that the Los Angeles County Metro Agency is currently working on a significant project involving the I-405 Freeway. A HOV lane is being added on the northbound I-405 Freeway from the I-10 to the US 101. To accomplish this, the demolition and subsequent reconstruction of the Mulholland Drive Bridge, will require a full freeway closure of both the I-405 Freeway and the Mulholland Drive overpass in both directions for up to 53 continuous hours. This weekend, July 15 through July 18, it is anticipated that traffic may be backed-up as far as 68 miles to the south and 23 miles to the north.

This is what your Los Angeles Fire Department is doing...

A Unified Command (incorporating LAFD, CHP, LADOT & LAPD) has been developed to manage all "issues" associated with this freeway closure. The Los Angeles Fire Department is responsible for Fire Suppression and Emergency Medical Services within, what Unified Command is referring to, as an "Operational Area." This will effectively capture all of the impacted areas up and down the I-405 Freeway.

The LAFD has developed a "response plan" to address the potential for increased response times that may result from the I-405 Freeway closure. The LAFD will strategically pre-deploy and also staff, additional resources consisting of trucks, engines and other Fire apparatus to handle all emergencies throughout the Sepulveda pass area. An additional 200 Firefighters will be deployed as follows:

Mountain Gate - 1 Engine, 2 Rescue Ambulance, Brush Patrol.
Bel Air Crest - 1 Engine, 2 Rescue Ambulance, Brush Patrol.
Fire Station 99 - 1 Truck Company, 3 Engine Companies, 2 Rescue Ambulance, 1 Brush Patrol,
1 Motorcycle Recon Team, 1 Water Tender and 1 Battalion Chief.
Fire Station 109 - 1 Truck Company, 3 Engine Companies, 2 Rescue Ambulance, 1 Brush Patrol, 1 Motorcycle Recon Team, 1 Water Tender and 1 Battalion Chief.
Fire Station 59 -  3 Engine Companies and 1 Battalion Chief.
Fire Station 19 - 1 additional Engine Company.
Fire Station 69 - 1 additional Engine Company.
Fire Station 71 - 1 additional Engine Company.
Air Operations - 1 additional Air Ambulance (helicopter).

As always, the LAFD will work in conjunction with with Los Angeles County DHS to ensure the best possible patient care and will closely monitor any transportation issues, as well as hospital availability.

As a reminder, on-ramp and off-ramp closures are scheduled to begin as early as 7pm on Friday, July 15, 2011. Freeway lane closures will begin, one-by-one, starting at 10pm, in order to achieve a "full closure" by midnight, July 16, 2011. The "full-closure" will remain in effect until Monday, July 18, 2011, until approximately 5am, when I-405 is scheduled to re-open. All ramps and connectors are scheduled to be re-opened by 6am.

Want to stay up-to-date during the 53-hour closure of the I-405 freeway?

Click here for detour maps, closure boundaries, and time lapse photography of the demolition.

Click here for real time traffic conditions on the regional alternate freeways.

Click here for updated messages via twitter.

Submitted by Erik Scott & Matthew Spence, Spokesmen

Los Angeles Fire Department

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