On Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 4:30 PM, twenty-one Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, eight LAFD Rescue Ambulances, one Arson Unit, one Urban Search and Rescue Company, the LAFD Tractor Company, one LAFD Hazardous Materials Squad, two EMS Battalion Captains, six Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams and one Division Chief Officer Command Team, as well as one Engine, one Truck, one Rescue and one Battalion Chief from the Burbank Fire Department, all under the direction of LAFD Assistant Chief Ralph Terrazas responded to a Major Emergency Structure Fire at 6845 Vineland Avenue in North Hollywood.
Firefighters arrived quickly to discover intense fire throughout an 150' x 100' one story ‘L-shaped’ metal clad industrial building. Firefighters briskly deployed handlines and master streams in a clearly defined defensive posture until a decisive offense with handlines was possible against the specter of fallen high-voltage electric lines and stubborn flames.
The fire was confined to the structure of origin and extinguished in less than ninety minutes.
A 21 year-old employee and a 61 year-old contractor within the furniture manufacturing and warehouse facility at the time of the fire, were able to escape unaided prior to Firefighters arrival.
The older man, suffering a minor thermal burn to his right arm, declined LAFD transportation before leaving for medical care via a private vehicle.
The younger male, who sustained an electrical burn to his right hand and lower back was transported by LAFD Paramedics to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank in fair condition.
One Los Angeles Firefighter was medically evaluated and immediately returned to active fireground duty after having been struck on the helmet by a falling chair.
Loss to the yet identified firm is estimated at $2,750,000 ($750,000 structure & $2,000,000 contents). The cause of this late afternoon fire remains under active investigation.