Fire Causes Extensive Damage To Family-Owned Lumber Yard Businesses In Pacoima
PACOIMA (CBSLA.com) — Officials Friday were investigating the cause of a greater-alarm blaze that damaged two lumber yard businesses in Pacoima Thursday night.
The fire broke out around 8 p.m. at a lumber yard of S.B. Lumber in the 11100 block of Sutter Avenue, near the intersection of the Paxton Street and San Fernando Road, according to Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. More than 100 firefighters were assigned to the scene.
The company is family-owned and has been in Pacoima for more than 40 years.
"It was disturbing because I didn't know the extent of the damage," said Stan Zevikabrenner, owner of S.B. Lumber. "All the machinery is down, so we are paralyzed for awhile, until we get the machinery back up."
Special equipment, including bulldozers, helped knock the fire down, but firefighters remained on scene to douse smouldering material inside a 70-foot silo.
The Antelope Valley line through the Sylmar and San Fernando area was closed in both directions Thursday night as crews contended with downed power lines in the area.
Battalion Chief Steve Ruda said the fire was dangerous because of the presence of high-tension wires that were damaged.
"Some of those that were damaged by the heat and fell and then energized the fence," Ruda said.
The fire originated in the outside lumber storage area. The office and record keeping systems remain intact.
"Nobody's hurt, and that's the first thing," Zevikabrenner said. "It could have been worse."
Sky9's Stu Mundel reported the fire was initially visible from Burbank.
No injuries were reported.
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