Major-emergency fire destroys Boyle Heights laundromat
by City News Service
LOS ANGELES — Firefighters dealt with a broken gas line as they battled a fire that tore through the attic of a laundromat and other businesses in a Boyle Heights strip mall early Tuesday morning and caused the roof to collapse.
Firefighters responded to 2230 E. First St., near Breed Street, about 12:40 a.m. and found fire coming through the roof of the structure, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
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Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
Los Angeles firefighters battle a major-emergency fire early Tuesday, July 14, 2020, that caused the roof to collapse at this strip mall containing a laundromat and other businesses near First and Breed streets in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles. (Photo by Rick McClure/Special to the Los Angeles Daily News)
The incident was declared a major emergency as 100 firefighters assumed a defensive stance, battling the flames from outside the building for more than two hours, she said.
Just before 2 a.m., Stewart said the fire was under control, but there was a broken gas main the gas company was working to shut down and a knockdown of the fire could not be called until the gas was off because it could feed the fire.
Firefighters also had trouble putting out flames inside the building because of the collapsed roof.
The gas line was shut off, and a knockdown was called at 2:47 a.m.
No injuries were immediately reported.
All credit goes to City News Service Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com
