Firefighters remain at the scene of a fire that started early Friday and burned throughout the morning, causing a roof collapse at a Burbank tobacco wholesale business.
The three-alarm fire at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and North Manning Street was reported at 3:30 a.m., said Lt. Eric Deroian, the watch commander at the Burbank Police Department. Firefighters continued to spray water on flareups at 6:30 a.m.
A knockdown was declared at 7:03 a.m.
More than 60 firefighters from several agencies battled the fire from inside the structure but assumed a defensive mode -- fighting it from the exterior -- when it spread to the attic. Firefighters were called off the building's roof and out of the interior before the roof collapsed.
A portion of the building's facade collapsed outside the structure.
The business was identified as Wholesale Giant Inc., which houses tobacco and other products. The structure also served as a market and restaurant supply store.
Witnesses told NBC4 they could hear "popping" sounds during the fire, possibly from butane and CO2 cartridges that were part of the restaurant product supply.
The owner told NBC4 he supplies products to cigarette shops throughout Los Angeles. He has owned the business since 2007.
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A concrete wall between the business and neighboring structures helped firefighters prevent flames from spreading.
Crews from Burbank, Pasadena, Glendale and Los Angeles responded to the fire. One Burbank firefighter was treated for minor burns.
Victory Boulevard was closed from Cahuenga Boulevard to Valley Boulevard.
