Results tagged “lafd”

A small fire that erupted near the Skirball Center was knockedown by Los Angeles Firefigthers this morning. The one-half acre fire was located near the northbound 405 Freeway exit at Skirball Center Drive. 50 firefighters in the air and ground responded to the fire, first reported after 10 a.m.

The Los Angeles Fire Department is reporting a large car crash, involving approximately 10 cars, on the southbound 101 freeway. The crash, which occurred around 1:40 a.m., has injured at least 10 patients, two who are reported to be in critical condition. A Sigalert was issued by 2:09 a.m by the California Highway Patrol.

KABC-TV is reporting a shooting death in front of a Van Nuys apartment building that has left one person dead. Two suspects, one reported to be a female, were apparently seen running eastbond on Vanowen towards Sepulveda. LAPD Media Relations has few details at the moment. Also: The Los Angeles Fire Depatment is reporting the death of a man in his 60's who was apparently was killed in a trash compactor at 8201 N. Woodley Ave., near the Van Nuys Airport.

See some smoke in the hills? A fire 40-foot by 40-foot grass fire was knocked down by Los Angeles Fire Fighters in 18 minutes this afternoon. The fire, first reported at 1:59 p.m., was located at 9785 Trudy Drive, south of Mulholland Drive between Beverly Glen and Coldwater Canyon.

It took firefighters 59 minutes to knock down a small 5-acre fire in Griffith Park this afternoon. First reported near the golf course at 3:24 p.m. by park rangers, the blaze hardly had a chance to consume dry fuels. "There was not wind, so it really didn't do much," said Greg Acevedo, LAFD spokesman. No injuries or damage to structures were reported and a cause is still pending an investigation.

A brush fire has broken out in Griffith Park. The blaze is about 5 acres in size, but no structures are currently threatened, notes a Los Angeles Fire Department alert. The fire is "burning between LA Zoo & Los Feliz," and a "Plume of white smoke [is] visible from I-5," while "multiple helicopters," are on scene, according to abc7's Twitter feed. [Update: The fire was knocked down in 59 minutes, more info here]

More details are coming out about that home that burned in the Hollywood Hills this morning. Among the items allegedly burned were a priceless art collection including works commission by Napoleon Bonaparte and a Faberge egg, according to KTLA, who spoke to the owner, lawyer Brian Witzer. Additionally, a multi-million dollar Ferrari collection was damaged.

Just like every time a space shuttle lands at Edwards Air Force Base, the Los Angeles area is rocked by twin sonic booms. And every time, you can perk your ears up and listen to neighbors outside ask if it was an earthquake or big crash on the street. Luckily, the Los Angeles Fire Department, who faithfully warned the public through Twitter, reports no 911 calls, but someone did flag out an LAFD unit on the street to investigate. A search for the word "explosion" on Twitter still reveals many people who did not know what was going on, prompting the LAFDtalk account to sigh: "It's clear not everyone follows @LAFD." If you're a Twitter user, it's a really good idea to follow them (here's a good example illustrating why). Many others tweeted 9/11 references, which echoed this morning's alarming and freaky Coast Guard drill in Washington DC. "Hey @NASA, how about a lot more warning before sending the Shuttle and it's sonic boom over a large metropolitan area on Sept 11th?" huffed Dana Brunetti. @NASA unfortunately didn't tweet a warning and that's why we follow @LAFD.

A lot of thank-yous, hugs and gratitude has been given to firefighters this past week in light of the recent wildfires, most notably the Station Fire. With that said, Sunset Strip Music Festival organizers today announced that they are allowing free admittance to Los Angeles City and Los Angeles County Firefighters with proper ID into the festival on Saturday when the street closes. Some 40 bands will take the outdoor and indoor-club stages from 2 p.m. to around 9 p.m. (with shows continuing indoors until around 2 a.m.). Headliners include Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Pepper, The Donnas, Fishbone, Unwritten Law, Kottonmouth Kings, Shiny Toy Guns, Shwayze and LMFAO (see a full list here). Tickets are selling at $39.50 pre-sale, $50 at the door.

         

It's not LADWP's job to be a special effects studio. First a flood, 3 to 4 feet high in some spots sweeping away a handful of cars, last Saturday night in Studio City and this morning a fire truck stuck half way into the ground in neighboring Valley Village (the firefighters escaped safely).

Early this morning in Valley Village a water main break northeast of where a trunk line ruptured this weekend and caused massive flooding in Studio City has caused a sinkhole to swallow a fire engine and water and mud to flow into the streets. The fire truck was responding to the call to Hartsook Street at Bellingham around 5:30 this morning when the road was believed to still be stable. According to a live report on KTLA residents of the street have noted that the truck seems to be sinking further. The broken line delivers water to area homes, and it's unclear if its break is related to the previous Valley line break. Water and dirt are moving from the sinkhole area, east on Hartsook and south on Laurel Canyon towards Riverside Drive, potentially causing woes for motorists--either trying to drive or whose cars are parked where the mud has flown.

    

Late last night a 64-inch water main burst in Studio City at Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon, according to the LA Times. The water flooded into area businesses and homes, and was 3-4' high in places, according to an LAFD email alert.

Didn't this burn last year, like twice? A small vegetation fire reported to the fire department at 12:48 p.m. burned a half-acre inside O'Melvany Park, just south of Sunshine Canyon in Granada Hills today. The park is located at the eastern end of the Santa Susana Mountains, site of the 14,703-acre Sesnon Fire from last year October. The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed not only ground crews, but an air attack, snuffing out today's fire in 29 minutes.

A crash between two vehicles left an apparent transient dead this morning during rush hour in North Hollywood. Around 7:53 a.m., the vehicles traveling eastbound on the 134 freeway collided, leaving the freeway over the side where an encampment was set up behind the McDonalds at Riverside Drive and Lankershim Boulevard. "He just happened to be there at the wrong place at the wrong time," explained California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Luevano over the phone.

This afternoon, the Los Angeles City Fire Department announced that evacuations issued due to the Station Fire within the city in the Sunland/Tujunga area have been lifted, and residents are able to return to their homes. Per the LAFD all areas in the community West of Blanchard Canyon to Alpine Village (which include Lonzo St, Sevenhills Dr, Hillhaven Dr, Hillhaven Av, Dos Rios Dr, Angeles Dr, Deliban Av, Amidon Pl, Burland Av, Terecita Rd, Terecita Pl, Samon Pl, Owens Pl, Owens St, Samon Av, Parsons Tr, Grenoble St, Silverton St, Bellclaire St, Glory Av, Fairgrove Av, Haines Canyon Rd, Private St, and Apperson St). Furthermore, previously evacuated areas (Riverwood Community, Blanchard Canyon Area, and Elsie Drive) will be accessible after 8 tonight for residents and emergency vehicles only. The areas will be patrolled by LAPD and LAFD units to ensure the safety of the residents and their property.

[Update, 4:55 p.m.: All Station Fire mandatory evacuations have been lifted in La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta except one area, says Bruce Quintelier of the Forest Service. The area still under an evacuation order is north of Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell with a voluntary evacuation from Santa Carlotta to Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell. See a map below]

Although officials don't know for sure, the drowning of a 3-year-old boy last week might have been prevented if rolling cuts were not in effect. To close a $54 million gap in the department's budget, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa cut non-emergency overtime in lieu of furloughs or layoffs. The cut meant shutting down 15 engines and 9 ambulances at rotating locations around the city daily.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa later today intends to nominate Battalion Chief Millage Peaks to head the Los Angeles Fire Department, according to sources close to the department speaking under the condition of anonymity. Peaks, a 33-year veteran of the department will replace Chief Barry Douglas, who will retire this weekend. Currently the Chief of Battalion 4 (LAX, Venice and other Pacific coast and inland neighborhoods), Peaks joined the department in 1976 and was promoted to be a captain in 1984. Eight years later, he became a Battalion Chief in South L.A.

Talk about timing, whether planned or not. An 11:30 p.m. e-mail from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office says he will announce his nomination of a new fire chief tomorrow at 11 a.m. After 34 years--two and a half as Chief--Douglas Barry last Spring announced his retirement, taking affect on August 30th. "We have brought about a unity of purpose and have moved our Department to even higher levels of professionalism both operationally and in our work environment," he said his statement in May. "We have made great strides in strengthening our future leaders by giving them the tools they need to be successful." The nominated chief must be confirmed by city council before he or she can officially take command.

A brush fire that broke out this afternoon in Bell Canyon [map] is located within Ventura County, but is being tended to by Los Angeles City Fire Department due to its inaccessibility from and proximity to Ventura County Fire stations. As of now, and according to an LAFD email alert, the fire "has burned 8 acres; still no homes threatened; no injuries reported."

There are "multiple grass fires" off the 170 Freeway near Oxnard in North Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. A call at 1:19 p.m prompted firefighters to arrive on the southbound side of the freeway to find several spot fires, about a half acre in size when combined. "They're trying to the contain the fire quickly," spokesman Diana Igawa said. Traffic has slowed somewhat, but not come to a total stop, according to SigAlert, which reports the far right lane being closed. There is no major brush concern in the area.

In a direct and to-the-point opinion in the Daily News yesterday, Councilman Greig Smith further shamed the firefighters' union for a mailer sent out last week depicting the Chatsworth metrolink crash, which left 25 dead and 135 injured, juxtaposed with information about budget cuts to the LAFD. Smith, who represents Chatsworth and is the incoming chairman for the city's Public Safety Committee, lambasted union president Pat McOsker in his writing:

Looking a little further the controversial cuts to the fire department, which takes 87 firefighters off duty throughout the city on a rotating basis, here is the interactive map the fire department's union is using as an education and advocacy tool. The so-called "brown outs" change every weekend day and work week so no one station bears the brunt of cuts. Today, about 26 stations have lighter staffing, which is like three to four less people at each. More specifically, it equals out to ten less engines, five less ladder trucks and nine ambulances.

First there were signs in front of fire stations (see above) and now a mailer using images from the Chatsworth train crash (see below) that Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is calling "tasteless, offensive and misleading."

A brush fire has reportedly grown to about 20 acres (LAFD officially says 4 to 5 acres) and may be threatening homes in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles near the Glendale border.

Some fire companies were closed Sunday indefinitely, but a rotating set of closures scheduled for tomorrow will lessen the number of ambulances and rescue trucks on Los Angeles city streets tomorrow as a money saving move amid the city's budget crisis.

Last week police were simply looking for a child's step father after his body was found with unexplained injuries. Then yesterday, they announced Marcas Fisher, who has a troubled past, is the murder suspect and that anyone who was harboring him could be charge with interfering with the criminal investigation. Fisher is believed to be in the South LA or Long Beach area. Last week Thursday, officers responded to the 800 block of East 87th Place where paramedics had been summoned to an apartment residence. At the location, they found the body of Dae'von Bailey with multiple, unexplained injuries to his body in various stages of healing. The stepparent of the child was the last known caretaker of the boy, but was not at the location when paramedics and officers arrived. Anyone with info about this crime should contact LAPD Juvenile Division detectives at the Department’s 24-hour, toll-free number, 1-877-LAPD-24-7 or by texting CRIMES (274637) and beginning the message with the letters LAPD.

As part of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's "shared sacrifice" plan to save the city budget, cuts proposed to fire department ladder and ambulance companies, nicknamed "brownouts," would short-staff stations on a rotating basis by 87 firefighters.

This morning's greater alarm fire in the Arts District that took one building with it was apparently a marijuana grow-house, according to KNX1070 radio. "We don't have any eyewitness reports of interesting-smelling smoke," noted downtown maven, Eric Richardson at blogdowntown. The fire, first reported at 6:40 a.m. on the 600 block of South Santa Fe Avenue in the one story commercial building, took 75 firefighters 37 minutes to knockdown. The cause is under investigation but police are reportedly treating it as a crime. UPDATE: "There's nothing confirmed at this point regarding that," said LAFD Spokesman Erik Scott at 9:50 a.m.

A fire in the Sepulveda Pass began as a small brusher, only growing to around 10 acres at 3:30 p.m., according to the LA Fire Department. By 4:15 p.m., they said it was 80 acres. Still, no structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported. As the day moves into late afternoon and nighttime, fire officials are concerned over sundowner winds that could flare up the fire into a larger one. 250 fire fighters are on the ground with four helicopters assisting. Both the Getty Center Museum and Mount St. Mary's College have been evacuated. As the fire continues, more updates will be posted at this link.