On Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 2:55 AM, 12 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 4 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Arson Unit, 1 Urban Search and Rescue Unit, 2 EMS Battalion Captains, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, DOT and DWP, all under the direction of Battalion Chief James Gaffney, responded to a Greater Alarm Structure Fire at 20544 W. Ventura Bl. in the Warner Center area.
The initial 9-1-1 call into the OCD Dispatch center was from the alarm monitoring company indicating an activation at the indicated address. As fire companies arrived on scene, Firefighters found a three story, modern condominium complex of approximately 100 units, with moderate smoke showing from the third floor. Further investigation by LAFD Firefighters found fire in the wall between the second and third floors.
Firefighters vigorously chased the fire located in the walls between units on the second floor of the large condo complex spreading upward to the third floor. The Department of Water and Power was notified of a one inch water line break, which had no affect on firefighting efforts, but caused a large water problem from the third to the first floor. Firefighters immediately addressed the salvage and protection of residents personal property.
It took approximately eighty Firefighters 39 minutes to call a knockdown on the fire. The cause of the early morning blaze was an electrical short in a faulty exhaust fan located in a second floor unit. The dollar loss is estimated at approximately $80,000 to the structure. There were no injuries to Firefighters and residents self evacuated resulting in no civilian injuries being reported.