Flames engulfed a Sylmar auto body shop early this morning, prompting a swift response from Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) crews. The fire, which occurred at 12898 N San Fernando Rd., was in full blaze when firefighters arrived on the scene just after midnight, according to an LAFD alert. The heavy fire was initially attacked with an offensive strategy by the responding teams.
There were no injuries reported in the blaze that took a coordinated effort of 68 firefighters to bring under control. The LAFD detailed that crews began by fighting the fire from inside the establishment; they eventually were forced to switch to a defensive mode to tackle the inferno from outside due to the intensifying conditions. It required 35 minutes for the responders to access, confine, and fully extinguish the fire, as stated in a follow-up LAFD statement.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time. Located at 12909 N San Fernando Rd., the shop is within Council District 7 and was attended by multiple units, including battalion chiefs, rescue ambulances, and urban search and rescue teams. Firefighting squads from stations such as 91, 75, and 87 were enlisted in the response.
