Firefighters gained control Thursday evening of a fierce blaze that was burning in a commercial building in downtown Los Angeles. The blaze at one point reached “major emergency status” with more than 88 firefighters on scene.
The large fire sent heavy smoke billowing across the sky. The blaze was burning in the city block bounded by South Los Angeles Street, East 4th Street, Wall Street and Winston Street.
Before 5 p.m., firefighters said most of the fire was extinguished, and officials were releasing some firefighters assigned to the blaze. A robotic firefighting vehicle was on hand to reach “remaining pockets of fire in areas that are not safe for firefighters to enter,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Arson investigators were on scene, which is the protocol for a major emergency.
“This will remain an active incident well into the night, and citizens are asked to continue avoiding the area,” the Fire Department said.
The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 200 block of Winston Street in a row of commercial units, firefighters said.
