South LA Fire Raging Out of Control

A strong fire is rocking through a one-story commercial warehouse that manufactures and stores wooden palettes in an industrial part of the Hyde Park neighborhood in South LA at 6236 Gramercy Place (map below). The wooden palettes are fueling the fire so much, it is being described as a huge bonfire.

Not too long after the arriving, Los Angeles firefighters had to evacuate the building because the damage to the building made it unstable and too dangerous to be inside. They are now focusing on "defensive master streams," which is when heavy water is poured on the outside of the building, according to d'Lisa Davies, spokesperson to the LAFD.

KNX1070 is reporting on air that the fire is so strong that one adjacent building has already caught fire. There is also a worry that power lines will catch fire. Large plumes of smoke could be seen from as far as Orange County and in the San Fernando Valley.

Shortly before 3:00 p.m., at least 80 firefighters were on scene and no injuries had been reported. As of 3:20 p.m., more than 100 firefighters had arrived.

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Photo by digitalshay via Flickr