Fire restricts operation at OurWeekly offices
Two other businesses harmed
A fast-moving fire in the attic of a one-story strip mall that houses the Our Weekly offices caused damage to two businesses early Saturday morning, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire, reported at 3:56 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, brought 119 Los Angeles firefighters to 8720 S. Western Ave. in South Los Angeles, where they discovered heavy smoke billowing from a liquor store at the north end of a five-tenant row of businesses that shared a common attic.
Strategic rooftop ventilation helped limit horizontal fire spread, as firefighters under the command of LAFD Assistant Chief David Yamahata used hand lines to tackle flames within the 100 feet by 75 feet structure.
Firefighters confined most of the fire to the liquor store of fire origin and attic, allowing only minor extension to a beauty supply store immediately to the south. The three other firms, including Our Weekly, were spared fire damage. The flames were fully extinguished in just 35 minutes, and no injuries were reported. Loss from the fire is still being tabulated.
With the incident occurring so close to the OurWeekly offices, the newspaper’s hours of operation were restricted, with several employees asked to work remotely from home to prevent risk of excessive smoke inhalation. As a consequence of the fire’s disruption, the office only remained open briefly and many communications were missed.
The Western Avenue fire was the third in a series of local business fires that have happened in the previous week.
A non-injury fire at a discount electronics and furnishings business occurred at 10:04 p.m. on Dec. 2, at 3935 S. Vermont Ave., near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. It was contained in 59 minutes by 121 firefighters. The heavy fire was confined to the rear half of the business, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The night before a non-injury fire broke out at a one-story business near Inglewood. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the fire at 1514 Manchester Ave. at 2:02 a.m., said Humphrey, adding that 45 firefighters put out the flames in 32 minutes.
The fire was still under active investigation.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A fire inside the attic of a one-story strip mall in South Los Angeles this morning damaged two businesses, but didn't hurt anybody, according to fire officials.
Firefighters responded to 8712 Western Avenue at 3:56 a.m., said fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey. They discovered heavy smoke coming from a liquor store at the north end of a six-tenant row of businesses.
The fire, in a common attic, was put out in about 35 minutes by 119 firefighters, Humphrey said.
COMPTON, Calif. — Former Compton Fire Department Deputy Chief Marcel Melanson is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on grand theft and arson charges related to a fire at the department’s headquarters.
Melanson is suspected of stealing thousands of dollars worth of Motorola radios, selling them online and intentionally setting the Dec. 11, 2011 fire to destroy evidence of the thefts, Steve Whitmore of the sheriff’s department said.
Firefighters of the past to the present-day gathered May 30 at the African American Firefighter Museum (old Engine No. 30) luncheon at 14th Street and Central Avenue to pay tribute to the men who opened the door for them nearly 60 years ago.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A 46-year-old man died after being punched multiple times outside a liquor store in South Los Angeles, police said today.
The assault occurred at 11:30 p.m. Friday in the 2100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Arlington Avenue, said Detective Gus Villanueva of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section.
COMPTON, Calif. — A pickup truck was driven into a business in Compton this morning, causing both the vehicle and the building to catch fire, and investigators believe the crash was an intentional act of arson.
The crash happened around 2:45 a.m. at a strip mall at the intersection of Santa Fe Avenue and Pine Street, said the watch commander of the sheriff’s Compton Station.
The driver of the pickup truck fled the scene and was not immediately apprehended, he said.
