Firefighters battle major emergency fire at downtown Los Angeles business
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Huge LA fire erupts as 90 firefighters battle monster blaze at downtown commercial building
The fire was reported Thursday at about 1 p.m. PST in the 200 block of East Winston Street. The cause of the fire is not yet known but authorities are urging people to steer clear of the area. The region is still recovering from the deadly Eaton and Palisades Fires in January. The blazes destroyed thousands of buildings around Los Angeles, killed 30 people and displaced thousands of others. They were estimated to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.
The fire was reported Thursday at about 1 p..m PST in the 200 block of East Winston Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“Due to heavy storage load, firefighters were not able to reach the seat of the fire,” said the Los Angeles Fire Department in an update, which noted the fire has reached “major emergency status.”
Thick black smoke could be seen billowing out of the building and covering much of the sky around Downtown Los Angeles. The cause of the fire is not yet known at this time but authorities are urging people to steer clear of the area. Crews responded to the area near Winston Street near S. Los Angeles Street around 1:12 p.m.
Details about what businesses are involved in the fire were not immediately available.
LAFD said that nearly 100 firefighters were on scene battling the blaze as of late Thursday afternoon.
The fires comes as the region is still recovering from the deadly Eaton and Palisades Fires in January, which devastated the Altadena and Pacific Palisades neighborhoods respectively.
The blazes destroyed thousands of buildings around Los Angeles, killed 30 people and displaced thousands of others. They were estimated to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.
Survivors of the Eaton fire in Altadena have raised concerns about possible lead, asbestos and heavy metal contamination in their homes because of smoke.
The Palisades Fire, which started on January 7, 2025, in the Santa Monica Mountains, grew to decimate areas of the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Topanga, burning a total of 23,448 acres, destroying or damaging 6,837 structures and taking the lives of 12 people. High winds and dry conditions made fighting the fire nearly impossible and marked the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County.
Beginning the same night as the Palisades Fire, the Eaton Fire devastated the unincorporated neighborhood of Altadena, destroying more than 9,000 structures, burning 14,021 acres, and taking the lives of 18 people.
Firefighters Battle Major Blaze in Downtown L.A.
More than 80 firefighters respond to a fire in downtown Los Angeles. The fire was declared a “major emergency’ at 2:04 p.m. No injuries have been reported. The LAFD deployed its RS3 robotic vehicle to access pockets of fire.
Crews responded at around 1:12 p.m. to the 200 block of East Winston Street, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
By 2:04 p.m., the fire was declared a “major emergency” as more than 80 firefighters took a defensive stance while the flames spread to a nearby building, Stewart said in a statement.
“Due to heavy storage load, firefighters were not able to reach the seat of the fire,” Stewart said.
According to KNX, the building was packed with combustible materials — including candles, clothing and cardboard packages — raising concerns about a possible structural collapse.
While an official knockdown had not yet been declared, Stewart said the majority of the fire was out by late afternoon Thursday. No injuries were reported.
The LAFD deployed its RS3 robotic firefighting vehicle to access remaining pockets of fire in areas unsafe for crews, Stewart said.
The Arson Unit was on scene investigating the cause of the fire, as part of standard protocol for a major emergency incident, according to Stewart.
“This will remain an active incident well into the night, and citizens are advised to continue avoiding the area,” she said.
Crews gain control of downtown L.A. structure blaze that sent huge plume of smoke into the sky
More than 88 firefighters are on scene. A robotic firefighting vehicle is on hand to reach “remaining pockets of fire in areas that are not safe for firefighters to enter. The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 200 block of Winston Street.
The large fire sent heavy smoke billowing across the sky. The blaze was burning in the city block bounded by South Los Angeles Street, East 4th Street, Wall Street and Winston Street.
Before 5 p.m., firefighters said most of the fire was extinguished, and officials were releasing some firefighters assigned to the blaze. A robotic firefighting vehicle was on hand to reach “remaining pockets of fire in areas that are not safe for firefighters to enter,” the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
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Arson investigators were on scene, which is the protocol for a major emergency.
“This will remain an active incident well into the night, and citizens are asked to continue avoiding the area,” the Fire Department said.
The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 200 block of Winston Street in a row of commercial units, firefighters said.