Editor’s note: A GM spokesperson shared the following statement: “We’re grateful that all employees and first responders are safe and accounted for. The isolated fire was contained to a single design concept vehicle and did not spread to any other vehicles, design concepts, or the building itself. We thank the responding fire departments for their swift action in extinguishing the fire.”
By Sydney Barragan
Pasadena Star-News
PASADENA, Calif. — Firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze at General Motors’ Advanced Design Center in Pasadena on Wednesday evening, Oct. 22, authorities said.
The fire was reported around 5:50 p.m. on the 600 block of Sierra Madre Villa Avenue, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian, at the nearly 150,000-square-foot facility.
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As of 7:15 p.m., after over an hour of searching, crews had located the source of what Derderian described as a “very stubborn” fire, though it had not yet been fully extinguished. The cause remains under investigation. Hazmat teams were called for potential hazardous materials within the building, including concept cars and batteries, Derderian said.
General Motors creates concept cars as design studies at the company’s design studios, including the Pasadena center, which revealed a “California Corvette” concept in July.
The blaze was upgraded to a four-alarm fire, requiring additional resources and a multiple-agency response with around 100 firefighters working on the blaze.
The cleanup and investigation could take days, Derderian said. Crews will remain at the scene overnight and possibly for several days.
No civilian injuries were reported. Derderian said there was a brief scare involving a fire captain who could not be located and put out a mayday call. The firefighter was quickly found and exited the building and did not require hospital transport.
The design center has been cited as an example of economic progress in Pasadena.
“It’s a newer General Motors Design Center, large facility we’ve been boasting about for bringing new technology into our City,” Derderian said.
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