A team of 186 firefighters spent nearly three hours battling a "major emergency" blaze at a fabric wholesale firm in downtown Los Angeles Monday, authorities said.
The fire was reported at 12:10 a.m. at 1915 East Seventh St., Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said. The flames were finally declared out at 3:03 a.m.
Flames were showing through the roof of the 10,360 square foot single-story commercial building when firefighters arrived, Humphrey said. They quickly went into a defensive posture, battling the blaze from the exterior, when the building became unsound, Humphrey said.
The business was Payman Fabric, a wholesale firm in the downtown Arts District, he said. The defensive efforts by firefighters spared an art and craft supply business on the east of the burned building and what appeared to be a paint firm on the west, Humphrey said.
Three firefighters were taken to hospitals for medical attention, Humphrey said. Two suffered non-life threatening injuries and one had exhaustion. The three were taken to a hospital where they were expected to be treated, then released, he said. No civilian injuries were reported.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation, Humphrey said.
