80 Firefighters Quell Koreatown Blaze in Renovation Site, Prevent Asbestos Exposure Risk

Yesterday morning, a 12-story skyscraper undergoing renovations caught fire in Koreatown, resulting in a smoky situation for firefighters. After arriving within minutes of the call at 8:46 AM, more than 80 firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in the 500 block of S Vermont Ave, according to LAFD News.

They arrived at the location and found smoke coming from the roof. As the first crew started up the stairway, they came across smoke from trash burning at the bottom of the elevator shaft, and smoke was discovered on the lower floors. Sparks from this elevator, which was undergoing maintenance, are thought to have started the incident by setting the trash on fire.

Due to the lack of a working HVAC system, firemen had to coordinate their efforts on the rooftop with those on the ground in order to ventilate the smoke-filled structure, making the operation complicated. The building was undergoing asbestos abatement, according to the LAFD, so the response team had to follow certain decontamination protocols after the fire was extinguished and the structure was smoke-free.

Thankfully, no victims were found trapped inside the building after a thorough search of the main and secondary floors. According to LAFD News, Assistant Chief Paul Pham oversaw the operation and effectively put out the fire in 33 minutes. There were no injuries from the fire that would have presented a risk because of the asbestos.

It is presently thought that the elevator’s equipment-related sparks ignited the trash when they fell into it, filling the shaft with smoke that spread to the building’s roof. In order to prevent exposure to dangerous materials, firemen were thoroughly decontaminated and showered at their station after the incident.

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