Early morning flames engulfed a vacant hotel in Hollywood today, prompting a massive response from the Los Angeles Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene at 1624 Schrader Bl around 3:15 AM after reports of a structure fire were received. The blaze was initially treated as a Greater Alarm fire, with defensive operations being put into place due to the condition of the abandoned two-story building. According to information obtained from the LAFD's alert, the emergency response included a variety of specialized units.
Within the hour, the situation escalated to a Major Emergency with 126 firefighters on site, fighting the heavy fire that had spread through the sub-floor, basement, both above ground floors, and attic. No injuries were reported as crews worked against the blaze, as per the update released by the LAFD and detailed on their website. Relentlessly battling the fire, which they managed to contain within just 98 minutes, the firefighters’ efforts were successful in extinguishing the fire in an abandoned two-story hotel that had been dormant and unoccupied, hinting at the emptiness that once filled its space.
Following the intense efforts of the team, the LAFD announced the fire had been completely put out. A rapid and coordinated effort led to accessing and containing the fire in various parts of the structure, including challenging reaches such as the attic and sub-floor areas. Firefighter David Ortiz, LAFD Public Information Officer, confirmed the "knockdown" and indicated that the fire's cause is under active investigation. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported in the incident, with the knockdown announcement shared on the department's official alert page.
While the site of the fire is now cleared, the aftermath still begs the question of how the fire started and what fate lies ahead for the structure that once played a role in the fabric of Hollywood. Investigative units remain at the scene to determine the origin and cause of the flames that have since been subdued.
