Massive Fire Destroying Historic OC Blimp Hangar

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A massive fire ripped through a historic hangar at a former air base in Orange County earlier Tuesday morning, triggering a large response from fire crews.

The three-alarm fire was reported around 1 a.m. at the north hangar in Tustin, near Valencia Avenue and Armstrong Road, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

As of 10:30 a.m., Orange County firefighters reported that the hangar was "continuing to burn with collapse of sections at a time." Crews were remaining onsite due to the dangerous conditions.

"Firefighters will monitor to ensure the fire remains contained and will remain on scene and in the area throughout the day," an OCFA update real. "Smoke will be seen — if you smell smoke or are sensitive to it, please close your doors and windows."

The fire was so large, firefighters were forced to use a helicopter to try to put out the flames that burned up the 17-story structure. Crews were also attacking the fire from the ground.

Fire officials said one of the challenges they faced was the lack of water on the property. Crews were using long hoses to pump in water from hydrants on nearby streets.

Residents were told to steer clear of the area. In addition, residents living nearby

"The overall goal is put this fire out safely without compromising anyone's safety," Captain Thanh Nguyen told ABC. "The good news is that there are no civilians working in the area. So, we're going to take it at a good pace to actually be able to extinguish this fire."

Arson investigators were sent to the scene to determine the cause of the fire.

The fire is in a facility where hangars once housed blimps used in World War II. They stand 17 stories high, are over 1,000 feet long and 300 feet wide. They were, and still are, two of the largest wooden structures ever built, according to the website Tustin Hangars.

The historic hangars have been featured in television and films, including JAG, The X Files, Austin Powers, Pearl Harbor and Star Trek.

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