Flames sweep through vacant 5-story commercial building in Van Nuys
LOS ANGELES - An investigation is underway after a "major emergency fire" tore through a five-story, vacant office building in Van Nuys over the weekend, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
The fire was reported at 4:07 p.m. Sunday at 7101 N. Sepulveda Boulevard near the intersection of Saticoy Street.
Approximately 125 firefighters helped knock down the flames. According to authorities, the fire engulfed all five stories of the vacant building.
The bulk of the flames were knocked down in 71 minutes and the fire was fully extinguished in about one hour and 43 minutes, LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
As firefighters completed full containment, the LAFD's Urban Search and Rescue crews entered the building and began searching floors to assess it for structural integrity.
No injuries were reported and there was no indication that any person was missing in the fire, Humphrey said.
No other buildings were threatened, said Humphrey, but firefighters requested police assistance in moving a large contingent of homeless people from tents in an adjacent parking lot to prevent them from being injured by falling debris.
Neighbors told FOX 11 there were ongoing issues with the building that they reported to the city on numerous occasions. In addition, a homeless man was stabbed at the homeless encampment in January, authorities said.
SkyFOX captured aerial views of the vacant structure fire in Van Nuys that reignited on the roof after the fire was knocked down.
Initially, firefighters were forced to operate in a defensive manner using multiple heavy streams in attacking the fire from the building's exterior only, said Humphrey.
According to LAFD, the Sepulveda fire led to the full closure of Sepulveda Blvd. between Vose Street and Sherman Way in Van Nuys.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
CNS contributed to this story