Stubborn Building Fire in Commerce Knocked Down

COMMERCE, CA - Dozens of firefighters spent more than an hour battling a stubborn fire at a single-story commercial building in Commerce on Thursday afternoon.

Flames burned through the roof of the building in the 4000 block of East Washington Boulevard before 55 firefighters snuffed it out, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Richard Licon said.

No one was inside when the fire broke out about 2:50 p.m., according to Licon, and no one was hurt. Knockdown was declared at 4:03 p.m., the fire department reported.

Other businesses attached to the burned 10,000-square-foot structure, where diesel engines were repaired and assembled, were undamaged, Licon said.

The Vernon Fire Department sent one engine company to the scene to assist in the firefight, Licon said.

Video from the scene showed firefighters on the scorched building's roof, which was partially covered in white flame-dousing foam.

-City News Service, photo courtesy of the Los Angeles County Fire Department