LA Crews Quell Mechanical Fire At Northridge Business

NORTHRIDGE, CA — Fire crews extinguished a smokey fire at an automotive building in Northridge on Sunday. Authorities discovered that smoke was billowing from a machine experiencing "mechanical failure" in the building, fire officials said.

The fire, reported at 1:09 p.m. at 18627 Parthenia St., was quelled with dry chemical extinguishers after firefighters found a placard warning against the use of water to put out potential fires inside, Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The department deployed 36 firefighters to the blaze, which was out within 14 minutes, Prange said.

Crews remained at the business to ventilate smoke and any potentially toxic fumes.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation Sunday afternoon.