Overflowing swimming pool causes debris flow in Hollywood Hills

An overflowing swimming pool caused a partial hillside collapse and the evacuation of eight apartments in the Hollywood Hills on Friday afternoon. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department said they responded to 1925 N. Wilcox Avenue after thousands of gallons of water had already seeped into the hillside, sending cinder blocks through the roof of the building below.

"Luckily, that building below is vacant currently, and no one was inside," Capt. Milo Cope said. 

Crews evacuated an apartment complex above the collapse and reported no injuries. Aerial footage showed a hole next to the apartment building.

"I just heard a lot of crashing noises," project manager William Daher said. "I saw debris fall from above and saw the retaining wall had collapsed."

Daher said he ran up to the apartment complex, noticed the pool overflowing and shut off the main water line before telling arriving fire crews.

LAFD said they siphoned 6,000 gallons of water out of the pool. Cope said the situation was completely avoidable.

"The unfortunate part was there's report that this hose has been running for a long period of time," Cope said. "Nobody said anything. If you see something, say something.

The abandoned building and the pool area of the apartment complex have been red-tagged. All evacuees were allowed back home later that day.