A massive fire in downtown Los Angeles early Monday engulfed an apartment tower under construction, damaged two other buildings and left freeways and roads closed.
The northbound 110 Freeway remained closed as of 5 a.m., but Caltrans reopened the 101 Freeway and the southbound 110 at around 4:30 a.m. Caltrans says it hopes to reopen the 110 north by 8 a.m.
More than 250 firefighters battled the blaze at an apartment tower under construction in the 900 block of Fremont Avenue, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz said. The building contained was 1.3 million square feet of floor space, and officials said two-thirds of it was consumed by flames.
Firefighters used the 110 Freeway to set up equipment to fight the blaze.
Massive L.A. project destroyed in fire was controversial
The bulk of the fire was put out in 90 minutes but firefighters continue to deal with hot spots, LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas said.
The LAFD said two other buildings along Figueroa Street were also damaged by the fire: A building at 313 N. Figueroa St. sustained "external damage from radiant heat" while fire damaged several floors of a 16-story office tower at 212 N. Figueroa St.
Fire Department spokesman Jaime Moore told The Times the office tower sustained fire and sprinkler water damage.
"Large windows gave under the amount of heat," Moore said, adding that sprinklers activated on six of its floors. "There was active fire on three floors."
Moore said firefighters managed to get inside both buildings and prevent the flames from spreading.
Moore said the apartment complex covered an entire block. The bottom two stories were made of concrete; the upper five floors were made of wood frame. Much of the structure was lost.
"This is a significant building that has sustained serious damage," he said.
As of 5 a.m., the site was still smoldering. Officials said it was unknown when it would be fully extinguished.
Terrazas described a chaotic scene at the scene of the fire, with its heat becoming so intense that it broke windows in nearby buildings. Parts of the apartment building scaffolding also collapsed.
Officials said the cause of the blaze was not yet known. There were no injuries. Arson investigators were on the scene, but officials said that was common for such a large blaze.
"It still too early to make that determination," Terrazas said, adding that investigators were talking to witnesses and reviewing security camera video.
A series of dense, upscale apartment complexes have been built over the last decade around the 101-110 freeway interchange in downtown L.A, and another one, known as the DaVinci, was currently under construction.
Developer Geoffrey Palmer's company is known for the Orsini, the Medici and other faux-Italian apartment buildings that have risen along the four-level interchange. The complexes have been part of the revitalization of downtown, though critics have complained about the design and size of the buildings.
"Experience urban-style elegance and European living in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. The Da Vinci, the newest member of the Renaissance collection, will offer fifteen unique floor plans to match your lifestyle," the project's website said. "Indulge in world-class amenities, such as a state of the art fitness facility, a full size indoor basketball court, a residential lounge, a library, a theater and a business center."
The building was in the news earlier this year when the developer sought a pedestrian bridge that would link the DaVinci to other complexes in the area and offer residents a route into downtown attractions.
The developer told the city that transients living under the 110 Freeway would pose a safety threat to future renters. The bridge proposal faced criticism from some in downtown, but the the City Council approved it in May.
When the fire broke out at about 1:20 a.m., flames could be seen for miles, with some people on social media capturing shots from as far away as the Hollywood Hills. Other photos and video captured flames racing into the air as motorists drove by.
Moore said it might take some time to reopen the northbound 110 Freeway. Besides having emergency vehicles parked on the roadway, he said, there is some scaffolding from the building still standing and officials are worried it could collapse onto the freeway.
Video from KTLA showed that heat from the fire burned freeway directional signs and melted the plastic traffic bumps embedded into the roadway. The video showed much of the apartment building burned to the ground, but its fire escape was still standing.
The LAFD was also fighting a second blaze Monday morning, this one at a commercial building at 2871 W. 7th Street in the Pico-Union district. About 100 firefighters were on scene. The fire was knocked down by about 6:30 a.m. The LAFD said it had no evidence the fires were connected.
Copyright © 2014, Los Angeles Times6:02: a.m.: This post has been updated with additional background on the apartment building.
5:14 a.m.: This post has been updated throughout with additional details and background.
4:35 a.m.: This post has been updated add information and to correct the address of the apartment fire in 900 block of Fremont Avenue.
This post was originally published at 2:03 a.m.
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