Two Firefighters Injured in L.A. Commercial Fire

From the LAFD News Blog:

Two firefighters were injured battling a major emergency structure fire in a South Los Angeles business on Sunday, August 7, 2011.

s firefighters were responding to the 6:30 PM alarm, a large "loom up" of dark smoke could be seen from blocks away.

Firefighters arrived at 121 West Florence Avenue where they found a row of one-story commercial buildings under a common roof with heavy smoke showing. Shortly thereafter, flames erupted outside the structure and careful attention was given to protecting attached and nearby businesses from flame impingement. Firefighters were strategically placed around the large structure as others forced entry inside to do battle with the intense flames.

Multiple ladders were rapidly tilted against the structure from all angles allowing firefighters assigned to truck companies to reach the roof and begin vertical ventilation using chainsaws. Moderate amount of smoke began pouring out of the holes as the chainsaws sunk in and continued to cut. Firefighters inside searched through the dark to reach the seat of the fire. As the fire ripped through the attic, a portion of the roof collapsed on one side, preventing firefighters to continue to make entry from that area.

Firefighters raced the clock as they worked intensely to stop the spread of the flames and save the adjoining businesses along with their contents.

The fire appeared to have started in southwest side of the commercial building and ran up to the attic where it quickly traveled northeast. A total of four businesses, selling furniture, carpet, mattresses and cabinets were damaged. Shortly thereafter the smoke began to lighten as firefighters started to gain the upper hand, then worked on saving the contents of the business. Due to the aggressive work, an offensive attack was used and there was no need to pull firefighters out into a defensive mode.

The building created additional challenges to firefighters due to having an unusual double roof on the northeast side described as an arch truss with 1x6 straight sheeting below, and a corrugated metal roof approximately six feet above.

Read the entire report and see additional photos HERE.

Off-Duty L.A. Firefighter Critically Injured in Blast

From The Los Angeles Times News Blog:

An off-duty Los Angeles city firefighter was among two employees critically injured during an explosion an at alternative-energy company in Sylmar, multiple sources told The Times late Tuesday.

The injured firefighter was identified as Timothy Larson, who was undergoing surgery after suffering major injuries to his arms and legs, according to two sources briefed on the incident.

Larson was undergoing treatment at Holy Cross Medical Center, said the Fire Department and law enforcement sources, who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak on the matter.

The explosion ripped a hole in the roof of the one-story building at 12349 Gladstone Ave. and shattered windows of nearby businesses. Rubble was strewn on the street.

Read more HERE.

Los Angeles (CA) City Chief to Retire

From the L.A. Times:

Just 22 months after he took the helm of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Chief Millage Peaks announced Monday that he will be stepping down.

Peaks, who began his career as a firefighter for the city 35 years ago, oversaw the department during a period of unprecedented budget cuts and staff reductions. He said he was leaving on good terms, but acknowledged that the cuts made his time as chief "the toughest years of my life."

"It has been a very rough experience for me and my family," Peaks said.

His retirement comes about a month after the City Council approved a controversial redeployment plan that he crafted after Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ordered the department to trim $54 million from its 2011-12 budget.

Read more HERE.

LAFD Firefighter Burned During Fire Response

From the LAFD News blog:

On Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 12:15 AM, 16 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 8 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 LAFD Helicopter, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 3 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 118 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Daryl Arbuthnott, responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 9654 Cozycroft Avenue in Chatsworth.

Firefighters arrived quickly to find fire through the roof above a pair of centrally located units within a one-story eight-unit 160' x 300' industrial building.

Forcing entry through rolling steel doors of a wholesale gift firm that occupied the two involved units, scores of firefighters worked in unison to swiftly salvage key business records and computer equipment from the office, as their colleagues nearby held advancing flames at bay.

The offensive attack on the fire, accompanied by strategic vertical ventilation, continued unabated for more than 20 minutes, until the roof became untenable and portions of the structure began to give way.

One firefighter suffered second-degree burns during operations. Read the entire account of the incident HERE.

City of Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department Faces Permanent Cuts

Via a radio report from Southern California Public Radio:

Facing the worst budget deficit in decades, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has proposed deep cuts to the city’s fire department. His plan would permanently close nearly 30 fire trucks and paramedic units, and would shrink the department by more than 300 firefighters. Fire officials who designed the plan promise that it would maintain public safety. Critics predict that it’ll lead to unnecessary deaths.

Fire Captain Jaime Moore said department personnel analyzed more than a million calls for help to craft a plan that would safely scale back the department. “We had to take a very good look at the way we operated," Moore said.

He said while Chief Milage Peaks would prefer to maintain the size of the department, he and other fire leaders found they could get away with some downsizing. "We have some areas where we have task forces where a single engine could handle the number of fire calls they’re getting.”

Listen to the full report and read more HERE.

Firefighters Help Remove Commuters Stuck on L.A. Metro Train

From the L.A. Times:

A Red Line train was stuck in a tunnel Monday morning between the Westlake and Alvarado stations, prompting the evacuation of 200 morning commuters.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was called at 9:08 a.m. to assist in the evacuation, said spokesman Erik Scott.

Read more HERE.

Los Angeles (CA) Apartment Fire Injures 6

From the AP via MercuryNews.com:

A fire in an apartment complex above a South Los Angeles church has injured six people, one critically.

City News Service says the fire was reported shortly before 1:30 a.m. Monday in a stairwell in the second-floor apartment complex above the New Life Christian Church.

The fire was quickly doused. A 54-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition.

Read more HERE.

100 Years of Service

The African American Firefighter Museum

The Huffington Post tells a story of a Los Angeles museum that stands as the only tribute to African American Firefighters in the United States:

"The museum preserves and shares the great accomplishments of African American firefighters throughout the decades. It opened on December 13, 1997 to acknowledge and praise the service of the first 100 years of service by African American Firefighters...

...The lives and impact of African American firefighters throughout time is shown so gracefully along the walls and within the atmosphere of the museum."

Read More Here...