Firefighters battle blaze at downtown LA commercial building
Los Angeles Fire Department crews are battling a downtown Los Angeles commercial building fire as thick smoke billows into the air.
The fire broke out around 1:50 p.m. at Kohler and Industrial streets, with the adjacent Olympia Hotel Apartment complex threated by the flames. Residents were told to shelter in place.
Explosions within the burning structure kept the more than 100 firefighters in defensive mode. Crews could be seen fighting the flames from atop the neighboring building, spraying water from hoses into the completely exposed roof of the burning building.
Some downed power lines were also reported. Just before 3 p.m., fire crews had the upper hand on the blaze.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.