Fire Engulfs Cars At North Hollywood Auto Body Shop

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA — A fire at a North Hollywood auto body shop destroyed several cars Tuesday afternoon before firefighters could stop the blaze.

The fire was first reported at 12:16 p.m. at Houston's Motor Sports in the 6800 block of North Lankershim Boulevard, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey. Crews were able to tackle the fire in 35 minutes, added Humphrey.

"The challenge to firefighters included off-gassing of flammable, automotive performance-related, nitrous oxide cylinders contained within the building, as well as structural compromise caused by the fire," Humphrey said.

One man who works at the location suffered a minor burn to his face, Humphrey said. About nine vehicles were destroyed.

The destroyed vehicles included Corvettes, Camaros and other muscle cars being modified for racing, according to KNX-AM (1070), which reported the loss totaled $350,000 to $500,000.

The cause of the fire was under investigation but may have been related to work being done on a fuel pump, the station reported.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock