At 3:51 p.m., 28 Companies of Los Angeles firefighters, nine LAFD rescue ambulances, two arson units, one urban search and rescue unit, one rehab/air tender unit, one emergency air unit, one hazardous materials task force, one LAFD helicopter, three EMS battalion captains, five battalion chief officer command teams, and one division chief officer command team, all under the direction of Assistant Chief Roderick Garcia responded to a major emergency structure fire at 19414 Londelius Street in Northridge.
Firefighters arrived quickly during a period of strong north winds to discover heavy smoke and fire showing from a modern one-story 100-by-150 industrial building of concrete tilt-up construction amidst a minimally or unseparated block-long row of similar structures.
A half-dozen workers had safely escaped the involved business, “Ideal 2000 Custom Cabinets,” just prior to firefighters arrival.
Firefighters commenced a fierce initial interior attack on intense fire within the cabinet manufacturing firm, only to be driven back by voluminous flames that fed on volatile contents that filled the structure.
With the subsequent compromise of the lightweight roof, a swift and well-coordinated transition to defensive tactics brought firefighters with handlines to the parapets of the immediately adjacent businesses, while master streams were strategically placed to bring the volume of water necessary to attack the free-burning fire.
Because of the wind and concern for flying embers, an LAFD helicopter with video telemetry and infrared imaging capability was assigned for aerial reconnaissance and command support.
With turbulent winds forcing large volumes of smoke low to the ground, twenty persons from one business immediately to the south were calmly and temporarily evacuated by firefighters to prevent injury.
A total of 187 LAFD personnel tenaciously battled the stubborn flames for one hour and seventeen minutes before confining the wind-swept fire entirely within the occupancy of origin.
No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.
Fire damage has been estimated at $1,000,000 ($500,000 structure & $500,000 contents). The cause of this late afternoon blaze was categorized as electrical.