Firefighters in East Los Angeles had their hands full Tuesday evening as they combated a significant second-alarm fire at what appeared to be an abandoned commercial structure, which included a former church. As reported by KTLA, the blaze was situated in the 1400 block of Atlantic Boulevard, not far from the 5 Freeway, with smoke and fire manifesting in three separate sections upon the crews' arrival after 5 p.m. Los Angeles County Fire Department took a defensive stance, utilizing a surround-and-drown tactic to subdue the fire from all angles with hoses, ladder trucks, and water cannons.

According to footage obtained by KTLA’s Sky5, the area was engulfed in smoke, which proved to be a particular concern for a nearby apartment complex along Amalia Avenue. Despite the complexity of the situation, with part of the building's wall collapsing, firefighters appeared to have the upper hand roughly an hour into their operations. No injuries have been reported in connection with the incident. The stretch of Atlantic Boulevard where the firefighters waged their battle was temporarily shut down, and locals were advised to steer clear of the area during the firefighting efforts.

The affected building, which featured an abandoned church, had been previously known as "The Door of Hope Community Center," as highlighted by a CBS Los Angeles report. The Center had been instrumental in providing emergency food and holiday assistance to youth under the auspices of Los Angeles County's Department of Children and Family Services. As of yet, authorities have not determined what sparked the inferno.

An account from NBC Los Angeles described a scene where heavy plumes of smoke marred the neighborhood's skyline, emanating from the building positioned just north of the Citadel Outlets. Due to hazardous conditions, including a collapsed roof, firefighters were compelled to fight the flames externally.