Large fire rips through downtown LA commercial building for second time in 2 months

A fire erupted at a commercial building in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles early Tuesday morning, the second to break out in the building in just the past two months.

The fire was reported at 12:13 a.m. at 1120 S. Main St. Footage from the scene showed large flames and smoke pouring out of the building.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, it took 100 firefighters about 72 minutes to bring the blaze under control. Due to the large flames, crews were forced to take a more defensive position.

Firefighters were able to prevent the flames from spreading to any surrounding buildings. No one was hurt.

On Feb. 22, a large fire broke out in the same building. It took more than 170 firefighters to extinguish it, but not before three clothing and textile businesses were destroyed. 

The owner of one of the three businesses told CBSLA Tuesday that she had been trying to rebuild her custom embroidery store following the first fire. She disclosed that the February fire destroyed the back half of the building. Burglars stole everything left inside, and then Tuesday's fire charred the store's facade.

LAFD Battalion Chief Gregg Avery told CBSLA that the first fire was tied to a homeless encampment in a back alley area near the building. The cause of Tuesday's fire was not confirmed, but Avery speculated that it could have a similar source.

"I can only speculate, but these fires don't start by themselves," Avery said. "So there's a human connection here, I don't know what that is. We do have a significant homeless problem in the area."