Van Nuys, CA – On December 31, 2023, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a ferocious fire erupted in a one-story commercial building at 14653 Van Nuys Boulevard, engulfing three businesses and a church in a blaze that required over 100 Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) firefighters to battle for 2 hours and 39 minutes, spilling into January 1, 2024. The fire, which sent flames shooting over 30 feet into the air and caused a roof collapse, was contained without spreading to adjacent businesses, a testament to LAFD’s efforts. No injuries were reported, but the cause remains under investigation.
LAFD crews from Fire Station 39 and surrounding Valley stations responded to reports of smoke showing from a 10,000-square-foot commercial building housing textile storage and sales businesses and a church operating at the rear, per an LAFD. Upon arrival, firefighters entered the structure and began ventilating the roof, but the fire intensified rapidly, with flames erupting over 30 feet high, forcing crews to shift to an exterior defensive strategy, according to KTLA. Using ladder pipes and large hose streams, over 100 firefighters attacked the blaze from outside, combating dense smoke and heat fueled by textiles.
The roof collapsed around 11:00 p.m., providing a clearer path for water streams to douse the flames through the top, a critical factor in the eventual knockdown at 12:09 a.m. on January 1, 2024. The fire was contained to the original building, sparing adjacent businesses sharing walls in the busy Van Nuys Boulevard commercial strip. No one was inside the building, and no injuries were reported among firefighters or civilians. LAFD arson investigators are probing the cause, with potential factors including electrical faults or heating equipment, common in commercial fires, per a 2023 Los Angeles Times report. Tips can be reported to LAFD at (213) 893-9800.
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