Firefighters Battle Blaze Near American Military Museum In El Monte
EL MONTE (CBSLA) — Los Angeles County Fire Department crews were battling a massive fire near the American Military History Museum in El Monte on Thursday evening.
The structure fire engulfed one commercial building, prompting crews to take the offensive in fighting the Second-Alarm fire.
As of 9:45 p.m., the fire was still ongoing with multiple crews on scene. The fire was reported as contained just prior to 11:30 p.m.
CHP announced a Sigalert in response to the fire, which closed the westbound SR-60 to the northbound Rosemead Boulevard offramp until midnight.
The sprawling property of the museum is covered in antique military vehicles, including a number of tanks, as the museum is alternatively known as "Tank Land."
Fire crews indicated that a nearby building was in fact the structure that was on fire, and that they were protecting the museum, which contained countless amounts of priceless memorabilia.
Just after 10:00 p.m., LACFD reported that they were sending a Health Hazmat team to the scene after reports that a honey butane lab was located inside of the property.
Honey butane, or hash oil, is used in the production of creating purified marijuana that is extracted from plants. The finished product is traditionally used in marijuana pens and edibles.
There are no reported injuries.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.