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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A two-story unit in a strip of vacant commercial buildings in downtown Los Angeles was engulfed in flames Tuesday and firefighters worked over one hour to protect the buildings around it.
The greater alarm fire was reported at 6:11 a.m. at 1224 S. Hope St. near Pico Boulevard, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart. The flames were out at 7:32 a.m.
Arriving firefighters found the boarded-up building well-involved in flames and took up defensive positions outside while they summoned additional resources to help defend surrounding structures, Stewart said.
The blaze quickly rose to a greater alarm level with 12 fire companies dispatched to the scene, she said.
"Firefighters are making good progress against the primary fire building," Stewart said at 6:36 a.m.
Stewart later explained the fire was in one unit in a row of boarded up commercial buildings and that the flames were contained to the unit of origin, sparing the adjacent units.
"The building is divided into two businesses -- front and back -- with a load bearing wall dividing them," she said. "The fire was in both sections of the building."
No injuries were reported.
Commuters were advised to avoid the area, she said. Hope Street was closed in both directions at the fire scene.