June 09--Firefighters took control of a blaze that tore through a one-story building in South Los Angeles on Tuesday morning, damaging vehicles and what appeared to be a mattress shop at the location.
It took 103 firefighters a little over an hour to extinguish the "stubborn" fire reported just after 7:30 a.m. in the 11600 block of Main Street, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The fire, initially reported at the rear of the building, quickly extended into the "somewhat ramshackle" one-story building, which appeared to house separate businesses, Humphrey said. There were also numerous vehicles stored at the location, some of which were damaged by the fire.
"The fire burned very intensely, and among the challenges were the mattresses inside," Humphrey said.
Although bystanders reported that people may have been staying on or near the premises, firefighters did not find anyone injured or receive reports of anyone missing, Humphrey said.
A nearby freight rail line was briefly shut down and smoke drifted across the 105 Freeway, causing some spectator slowing, Humphrey said. The fire was extinguished shortly before 9 a.m., though it continues to smolder.
Fire investigators are on site combing through debris to determine the cause, which remains unclear.
