Crews Knock Down Fire That Engulfed Church Near Glendale Freeway
GLENDALE (CBSLA.com) — Crews Tuesday battled an aggressive brush fire that engulfed a church near the Glendale (2) Freeway and North Verdugo Road in the Glassell Park area.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department told CBS2/KCAL9 flames from a quarter-acre brush fire reported around 2:30 p.m. quickly spread to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located along the 3800 block of Fletcher Drive.
By 3:20 p.m., flames had engulfed a portion of the attic and roof of the building, leading to a partial roof collapse.
Spot fires were also reported on the block.
About 185 firefighters were on scene and were aggressively attacking the flames, according to officials. Water-dropping helicopters were also dispatched to the scene.
Fire officials reported a knockdown was achieved after two hours, 14 minutes.
"Pretty much all the factors were playing the the fire's favor and not in our favor," LAFD's Daniel Curry said, noting dry conditions and wind made the fire more difficult to fight.
A LAFD spokesperson told CBS2/KCAL9 a male firefighter received treatment for an extremity injury and was transported in good condition. A second firefighter was transported in fair condition.
No civilian injuries were reported.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has approximately 1,000 members and is 24 years old, CBS2/KCAL9's Peter Daut reports. Church staff reported to LAFD no one was inside at the time of the fire.
Firefighters did manage to salvage some items, including religious paintings, despite the devastating effects.
"It's sad. It's like [when] your house is burned. You get very sad and upset. And we feel the same. It's our house," church member Sonia Alonzo said.
California Highway Patrol officers shut down two lanes of the southbound 2 Freeway during the firefight.
Firefighters remained on the scene late Tuesday evening to monitor any hotspots.
The cause of the brush fire was not yet determined
