On Saturday, September 22, at 12:45 PM, 10 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 7 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 2 Rehab Units, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 4 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 93 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Assistant Chief Daniel McCarthy, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 1167 South Hoover Street in Koreatown.
Firefighters responded quickly to find heavy smoke showing from a two story apartment building. Making a swift interior assault with handlines, Firefighters confined the fire to one upstairs living unit, extinguishing the flames in just 21 minutes.
There were no injuries.
During overhaul of the blaze, Firefighters entered the basement to discover 25 chairs and a small altar. A further inquiry of residents identified the location as being the “Myunysung Church”.
Though the fire was markedly remote from the basement sanctuary, protocol dictated notification of the multi-agency ‘House of Worship Arson Task Force’ to investigate the blaze.
Investigators estimated fire loss at $100,000 ($75,000 structure & $25,000 contents), and following a comprehensive investigation, determined the blaze to be electrical in nature.